The world through green eyes
by Aprilsummer
Summary: I'm Lily Evans. Hogwarts had never been more complicated as it was in years 5-7. Romance, friendships, growing awarness of the evil that lurked beyond hogwarts, Slytherins, pranks, quiddich, and of course James Potter and co.
1. Prologe & Welcome back to Hogwarts

Prologe: "Evans Lily!" when Professor Mcgonagall called out my name I walked, shaking a little, to the sorting hat. I had never known people could fly on an enchanted broomstick or cast spells with a flick of a magic wand until I got my acceptance letter. I was beyond estatic, I could have died happy. When I sat on the stool and placed on the hat I heard a little voice echo in my ear "Hmm, well I think you would only be happy in- GRYFFINDOR!!!" the hat yelled out the last word for the entire hall to hear and I heard clapping from the gryffindor table, people cheered as I sat down and watched the rest of my class get sorted, that was the begininng of my adventure. And what an adventure it was. This is my story, from year five to year seven. It is a story of friendships, love, hatred, gathering darkness, and hope. Experience the magic with me.  
  
Chapter 1: The summer air was thick and hard to breath. Sweat glistened on my forehead as I made my way into the platform 9 3/4. I was ready to enter her fifth year at Hogwarts. Lo, Haven, Lark and Bernadette, my best friends, beckoned me into a compartment towards the back of the train. I smiled but shook my head. "Prefects have to go to the front for a little while, I'll join you guys back here later." I said as I reached into my jean skirt pocket to feel the smooth polished surface of my new prefects badge. "Okay, don't keep us waiting to long Lily!" Lo said as I set my trunk in their compartment and made my ay up to the front of the hogwarts express. "Hello prefects." Said the witch who usually ran the food cart. "In Ravenclaw I believe our new prefects are Ingram Bishop and Lyris Esther. In Hufflepuff we have Bowen Macmillian and Alvina Truda. For Slytherin we have Bellatrix Black and Rudphulus Lestrange. And our Gryffindor prefects are Lily Evans and Remus Lupin. I would like to welcome our old prefects back and welcome our new prefects for the first time. Your duties as a prefect are to aid yoiur teachers in disaplinning your peers, you may assign detention if your claim is approved by the offenders, head of house. You will take shifts in patrolling corriders and you will wear your new badges at all times. You may go sit elsewhere on the trian, now if you wish. Most of the older prefects stayed in their seats whereas all the new ones, like myself, walked out to find friends. "Hi Remus." I said as the two of us walked to the last carriage on the trian. "Congrats on becoming a prefect LIly." he answered politly. "You too." I said smiling. "Thanks, well see you around." he opened the compartment just infront of mine and I even before I saw James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew whistling and cheering Remus as he sat, I knew they would be there. They were the four boys in Gryffindor with me and they were trouble, mean arrogant, idiots. Well not so much Remus but the rest of them....I slid open the door to my compartment and sat next to Lark and Bernadette. "So, tell us the 411! who else in Gryffindor is a prefect?"Lark asked her light brown eyes flashing excitedly. "Lupin." I answerd and then gave an involentary shudder at thinking about the new Slytherin prefects "Bellatrix Black and that Lestrange boy are the Slytherin ones and I dont remember the ones for Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw." I said. "Bellatrix Black? She is such a git." Haven narrowed her bright blue eyes and pulled a strand of her wavy blonde hair from her face. "So is that Lestrange bloke." Lo added. My four friends were all in Gryffindor with me. Haven Hart was the prettiest and was muggle born. She was a classic beauty and had dated amost everyboy in Ravenclaw, and she was now hoping to date Sirius Black. Lo Ping was a halfblood and the most outspoken person I had ever meet. She was pretty to though, with black hair that went to her waist and long lashes that she was always blinking over her dark brown eyes. Then there was Lark Gelasia she was overly skinny with straight redish blonde hair a rather large beaky nose and wide brown eyes. She was always good at cheering people up when they are feeling down and she was, like Lo, a halfblood. Then there was Bernadette Shadow. The Shadow family was an old pureblood family and they had almost all been in Gryffindor. Bernadette was my best friend in the world. She had gray eyes and shoulder long dark brown hair she was not the prettist person in the world but wasn't ugly either. I am Lily Evans and have thick wavy dark red hair and startling green eyes. I am of muggle heritage and supposedly the smartest in our year, but I am pretty sure the Ravenclaw prefect,Lyris somthing or other, had better exams results in transfiguration and care of magical creatures. "So Lily, do you think I have a chance with Sirius this year?" Haven asked.  
  
"You like Sirius now?" Bernadette had liked Sirius Black since first year. "We can both like him!" Haven said shurgging. "NO! we can't both like him!" Bernadette's shot at her. "Your just mad because you know he is going to chose me over you!" Haven, could be cruel sometimes. "Fine." Bernadette stood and left. I followed glaring at Haven, Lo left with me with Lark stayed. Lark and Haven were best friends, and Haven was my least favorite out of our group. "Bernadette, where are you going!" I asked pushing a first year out of my way and muttering apologizes to him as I plowed after my best friend. Lo was right behind me too, and I was grateful. Lo and Haven didn't really get along but Lo and Bernadette got along almost as well as me and Bernadette did. Bernadette slid open a compartment door and found it empty as she threw herself into it. Lo and I sat with her. "Of course he is gonna date blonde, blue eyed Haven." she said hurt etched in her voice. "Haven isnt good enough for Sirius I think she should date Pettigrew." Lo said grinning and Bernadette smiled too. We sat and played exploding snap for a while until an hour or so later we purchased pumpkin pasties form the food cart and then heard a soft knock. "That will be Haven..." Bernadette predicted miserably. The door slid olpen to reveal, not Bernadette but Potter, Pettigrew, Lupin and Black. "Hey Shadow, Evans, Ping." James said causlly. "Can we help you with something?" I asked curtly. "As a matter of fact, Evans, you can." he grinned and for the first and not last time he asked; "Wanna go out with me?" James winked, he started doing that a lot too. "No thank you." I replied. "Oh come on Evans!" He said rolling his eyes. "You know you want to!" He urged. "Go away James she said NO. Even you can't be too thick to misinterpret NO." Lo said annoyed. "Hey Ping keep out of this." James flicked his wand at her and mutterd a curse under his breath and turning Lo's long black hair white which looked quite odd on her. Sirius and Peter exploded with laughter and even Remus had to turn away to hide his Smirk. "Don't touch my friends Potter!" I yelled, standing up. Still laughing James motioned for his friends to leave and they shut the compartment door rather hard as they went. "I hate James. Don't you ever date that arrogent son of a bitch Lily! You hear me?" Lo said frustrated as she looked at her long, now white hair and blinked glared at the door. "I wouldn't date him! Never!" I said my eyes bulging and my stomache churning at the very thought. "Do you know the counter curse Lily?" Bernadette asked staring sadly at Lo's hair. "No, but I'll find it out." I stood ready to confront james. "I'm coming too." Bernadette stood. "I am too!" Lo pulled open the door and went staight to the terrible foursomes compartment and threw open the door. "Whats the counter curse?" Bernadette demanded. "I forgot." James said snidly turning away, but Remus rolled his eyes at his friend and whisperd the incantation and Lo's hair was returned to normal. "Thanks." Lo went back to where we had been sitting before and plopped herself next to the window. "This is an interesting start to our fifth year." Bernadette said and sighed.  
  
The feast was amazing as always. The first night back in my dorm was peaceful as Haven chose the bed furthest from Bernadette. The first day of lessons, however was neither Amazing nor peacful.  
  
"Oh Haven I don't think you need any butter on your toast...your wasitline seems to have already grown over the summer." Lo said innocently. "Oh Lo, I don't think you need to call me fat. At least I can get a boyfriend." she glared at Lo but I noticed she only ate half of her toast. "I can get a boyfriend too, you bloody hag!" Lo shot back. "You haven't had a single boyfriend in your entire life! And lets see I have dated Marley Grannchon, Brethel Boot, Jason Corner, Gideon Patil, Woo Chang, and Breck Moorelle." Haven counted the names on her fingers. "And your still and ugly, and snotty no matter how many idiots have dated you." Lo retored. "Quit it you guys, we're supposed to be friends." I said angrily "That was before little-miss-im-better-than-you over hear started liking Bernadette's bloke of choice." "He isn't Bernadette's! In about five minutes he is gonna be mine!" Haven smirked and engaged Lark in conversation about her new owl. Professor McGonagall distributed scheduals to each of us. Lo gave a long moan and pointed out our first lesson, Herbology which we took with the Slytherins. "OH Sirius!" Haven jumped out of her seat as she saw James and Co. enter the great hall. "What is it Hart?" Sirius asked her with an expression of disintrest on his face, his strikingly handsome face. "I was thinking-" he cut her off "I think sometimes too, get to the point." he said yawning. "Wanna go to hogsmeade with me? The first visit is in three weeks." she asked smiling sweetly. "I don't think so, run along now." he said yawning agian as he sat and helped himself to eggs and bacon. "Why not?" she demanded, this was not the answer she had expected. "Because I don't like you, you giggle to much." he said simply and shurgged. "Who do you like then?" she asked furioisly. "I like James." he said sarcastically and turned away from her. She sat down agian with Lark very red in the face and clearly in a bad mood, which didn't improve as the fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins made their way down to Herbology. "Snivellus." Sirius yelled loudly enough for half the grounds to hear as he made his way across the vegtable patch. "Hey snivelly wait up!" he yelled. "Yes Snivellus how was your summer? Did you wash your hair at all?" James asked, several of Gryffindors and passing Ravenclaw sniggerd. "Not by the looks of it." Sirius said but was unable to insult Snivellus, aka Severus Snape, any farther as we had reach the greenhouse. Professor Sprout gave a long speech about OWL exams before beginning her lesson. Half way through class Haven broke down in tears. For some reason Sirius and James found her crying amusing and both stifled laughter, "What is it dear?" Professor sprout asked. "I-its, j-j-just that I like Sirius b-but he d-d-d-doesn't lik-ke m-me." she said inbetween sobs. then she continued. "B-bernadette likes h-him t-t- too! I-I think he likes horrible ugly her i-i-inst-tead of me!" she wailed and ran out of the greenhouse. Professor Sprout shook her head and turned away. I saw her smile back at Lark who was giggiling hysterically. Haven hadn't really been crying she just wanted to embarass Bernadette.  
  
"You like me?" a dumbfounded Sirius asked Bernadette after herbology as the Gryffindors walked back up the castle for defense agianst the dark arts. "Don't you dare make fun of her okay?" Lo said sharply and grabbed Bernadette leading her away from Sirius. "I wasn't gonna make fun of her, I was just asking." he said to me earnestly. I didn't bother to answer him but quickened my step to catch up to Lo and Bernadette but we had only just walked a little farther when we heard the cold taunting voice of Bellatrix Black from behind us. "Bernadette Shadow likes my dear cousin? Oooh how sweet I could puke. But why did Haven Hart tell the entire herbology clas this? Gryffindors are supposed to be noble." Bellatrix called. "Don't worry wittle Bernadette we wont make fun of you, I mean who described you better than your own friend? Horrible and ugly is what she said isn't it?" Bellatrix's voice was full of malicious laughter. Bernadette's eyes burned with tears and I lead her into the girls bath room as I held the back of Lo's robes to prevent her from attempting to strangle Bellatrix. "That lously, future-mudering, evil-" Lo went on and on as Bernadette wiped her eyes. "Its okay your not ugly or horrible." I said running my hand through her shiney hair to try and clam her down. Lo finally got control of herself too and nodded. "Come on, we don't want to be late." I said taking Bernadette's hand to lead her to our next class.  
  
The rest of the day passed by without incident until dinner time. Haven Hart was about to get what she deserved maybe it was even a little to harsh. "Hey Hart!" Black called at dinner. standing up so he was seen by much of the great hall. "You asked me out at breakfast, and you know what I was too tired to say then? I would never date a brainless prat who emabrasses her friends and who thinks she is so cute when she isn't. So get a life." he said and applause broke out amoung most of the Gryffindors. Bernadette beamed. Haven looked as thought she had been slapped.  
  
"Hey Evans!" James sat next to me in the common room that night, to my displeasure. "What is it potter, can't you see I'm talking to my friends?" I asked motioning towards Lo and Bernadette. "You wanna watch me during quiddich practice? The first practice is next week." He said and he ruffeled his hair out of habbit. "No, I don't think so." I said dismissivley. "All right just though I'd ask. It was just a suggestion." He looked rather down trodden as he rejoined his friends. "He'll get over it." I said to Lo and Bernadette before they could say anything. "You know Remus is kinda cute." Lo said grinning Me and Bernadette snorted, mainly because Remus Lupin was shy and sweet and Lo was defintly neither. "Hello." Haven said tentitivley as she and Lark walked over to us. "You say one mean thing to Bernadette I'll curse your disgusting blonde hair off." Lo warned. "I just wanted to apologize. Bernadette I'm really, really sorry." she said and she looked it. "So am I. I'm sorry your so self centerd and mean." Bernadette replied. "I guess I am. Forgive me?" she asked. "Fine." Bernadette mutterd and she and Lark sat down, our group reunited. "Lets go to bed before anything else can go wrong today." Lo advised as we all made our way into our dorm and fell asleep.  
  
"Ohhh did you see James Potter? He is such a doll!" Lark said dreamily as he passed us in the courtyard that weekened. "Oh please, he is a bigheaded idiot." I said glaring at him as he walked with his three friends. "Oh but isn't he gorgous!" Lark had a goofy smile on her face. "Hardly." I said rolling my eyes. "Remus is the best out of all of em." Lo said as the five of us set down near the lake, cooling our feet in the water. The remaining summer heat beat down upon the castle and we lay back enjoying the last bit of warmth for the year. Lark reached into her robes pocket and pulled out that mornings edition of the daily prophet, "More disapearences" she said tossing the new paper to Lo who began reading it anxiously. "The Ministry of Magic is arming itself for a war against Lord Voldemort and those who work for him. Two more disapearnces to day of Amilynn Lanturn and Thomas Kelly. Both were ministry officails and may have information which would prove valuable to our rising foe. The followers of Lord Voldemort have fashioned themselves the titles of "Death Eaters" and more join their ranks everyday. While Lord Voldemort may not be powerful enough to take over the ministry yet, that worry has crossed our minds, and as people go missing and people cross over to the dark side the name "Lord Voldemort" is beginning to frighten people all by itself. It is a powerful, terrible wizard who the very thought of can cause immesurable fear." Lo finsihed reading aloud and swallowed she looked rather pale. Haven was shaking and Lark's eyes were wider than usual and she was gripping her wand so tightly her knuckles were white. Bernadette grabbed my hand, and I squeezed hers. "What is happening to our world? Cowards and evil power hungrey wizards joining Lord Voldemort, killing tortuing....It's beyond sick." Bernadette said softly but her voice was full of passion. "It will get worse." I said mater-of-faculty. "It cant get worse, Lily, it just can't" Lark pleaded tears forming in the depths of her dark eyes. "As soon as I'm out of school I'm doing something about it! I'm fighting Lord Voldie and kicking his ass!" Lo said with a feirce edge to her voice. "As soon as your out of school the Dark Lord will have full power, silly little idiots like you could do nothing." the voice of Bellatrix Black rang in our ears. Her long sleek dark hair and heavy lidded eyes looked so sinister, she would be a death eater, it wasn't a question. She spoke to everyone with such hatred....She felt nothing beyond pleasure at other peoples pain. She was a tragic, evil beauty. She would die alone and hated one day and people would not cry, but let out a laugh of relief she was no longer around. I hated her and I knew I would laugh at her downfall. "Are you scared wittle baby Lily?" she said in a cruel imation of a babie's voice. "Will You wold my hand wittle Lily?" She asked. "Get lost Black, go torture something, it seems like the kinda thiung you would do in your spare time." Haven said harshly. "Aww you wirls dun wike me?" she smirked and walked back to her group of slytherin friends. "Think if she becomes a death eater and we fight her, we can have the authority to kill the god dammed bitch?" Lo asked. "Probabley not Lo." I said and she pouted. "And its not 'If she becomes a death eater'" said Lark shuddering "Its when." she turned a bright shade of white and continued trembeling. Haven helped her up and began half carrying her to the hospital wing. "Lark has never been this scared before, not even when she had to show her mom her failing potions grade last year." I said and squeezed Bernadette's hand again. "These are scary times. I think it is good that we are around during difficult years, so that we can help, we can be useful." Bernadette said and she appeareds no longer frightened but determined. "We are gonna be legends as the girls who fought the death eaters...we will be known as the True, Brave and sexy sisters!" Lo said her eyes gleaming with enthusiam. "I don't think we will be rememberd as sexy." I said smiling. "Why not?" Lo pretened to frown. "Because history is too boring to have the word "sexy" in it." I explianed. "Yeah Lily is right, imagine Binns saying 'sexy" Bernadette said giggiling. Just as we were getting ready to head inside the castle for lunch we heardc cheers from back near the lake. We turned around curiosly and saw James Potter grinning as Severus Snape swam gasping and cursing back to the edge of the lake, James it seems had knocked him in. "What the hell is Potter trying to do?" Lo asked walking closer towards the laughing, jeering crowd to get a better view. I was torn between disaprovel and amusment, but I rememberd Bellatrix, and her getting pleasure from mocking us and I knew something had to be done. But before I could tell James to back off, Snape lauched a curse at him and James was flung back wards his skin turing a sickening shade of green. He narrowed his eyes and summoned a bottle of shampoo. He opened it and directed it with his wand to force its way into Snapes mouth. Snape sputterd and choked and James took the oppertunity to curse him agian, this time making his too an odd sort of dance. Snape finally spit out the shampoo bottle and raised his wand at James, but Sirius had already cursed his eyebrows with began to grow so quickley they sheilded his eyes from veiw making him unable to aim a spell, and so wet, dancing and with eyebrows growing rapidly Snape stood at the edge of the lake surroned by laughing onlookers and a furious and green James Potter. It was a morning worthy of remebrence.  
  
"He just shoved that shampoo bottle right in Snape's mouth!" Lo told Haven excitedly at dinner when Haven and Lark returned from the nurse. "And then James made him dance this jig type thing!" added Bernadette laughing at the memory. "He was about to curse an already puke green James agian when Sirius made his eyebrows grow over his eyes so he couldn't see!" Lo said taking a sip of milk. "He was like this disgusting dance monster!" Bernadette said laughing even harder and making Lo snort milk from her nose. Even I had to laugh at this, to spite my guilty feelings that I should have intervined to help Snape. "Hey ladies, whats so funny?" asked the smooth voice of Sirius Black, accompained by none other than Remus Lupin, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew. "Snape the disgusting dance monster." Bernadette said still smirking. The four boys chortled too. "Hey Lily, you look nice today." James winked at me. I cringed. He took the hint and the four of them went back to their seats. "I can't see why you don't like James!" Lark said incredlously. "He is conceited, rude, cruel....whats to like?" I asked not expecting an answer. "He is handsome, a good quiddich player, smart ooh very smart, and he is funny." Lark said as though it was the most obvious things in the world. "And he obviously likes you." Bernadette piped in. "Yeah but I DON'T like him!" I said annoyed. "Its your choice Lily,but I think he is a basterd too." Lo shot a dirty look in his direction and I would bet you a gallon she was remembering her white hair. "Well if we are all finished with dinner we have an essay we need to finish in Divination." I said stading up eager for a change of subject. "Yeah lets head on down to the library until we finish that." Lark said and we left the great hall, grabbed our bags and enterd the quiet library, several other students were writing on parchment or leaning over books in the dim lighted room as we selected a table and pulled out our half finished essays on dream interpriations. We worked continuesly until the library door opened and four male voices broke the silence of the room. "Hey ladies watchya doing?" James asked sitting across from me. "I need some help with my potions essay anyone wanna lend me hand?" Sirius asked sitting next to James and across form Bernadette. "We're working on divination." Lo said and added "Duh" as she continued to write about the meaning of falling in a dream sequence. "Oh well we could use help with that too." James leaned over and read my Parchment. "Back off Potter Im working." I snapped  
  
"Oh well sorry didn't mean to disturb you Evans." he said sounding nervous which was odd because arrogent James Potter coudln't feel nervous around me...could he?  
  
"We should leave them to do their homework." Remus advised. "Good day." Sirius said with a small bow and the four left the library. "James doesn't just like you, he is stalking you." Haven said pinching herself to keep from giggiling. "shut up Haven." I said returning to how the days of the week effect your dreams.  
  
"The auror Kyro Cauldron has gone missing, it is believed that Lord Voldemort is behind his disapearnce." Lo read aloud then began reading another article. "The body of Thomas Kelly has been found yesterday night. He was killed by Avada Kedavra and judging by his wounds he was tortured for some time before his death. The dark mark (A emarld skull composed of stars with a serpant, the mark the death eaters project into the air after they kill someone) was found over him and he was suspended to a tree by his wrists." Lo skimmed the paper before reading a third article. "12 muggles have disapeard yesterday it is belived that muggles too, are faced with the terrible threat of Lord Voldemort and it is believed the muggle killings are done for the amusment of the death eaters." Lo shudderd and read more from another section of the paper "Lord Voldemort is a name we are hearing spoken by fewer people everyday as this wizard is becomingmore feared he is now being referred to as 'You-know-who' and 'He- who-must-not-be-named'" Lo stopped reading her eyes almost as wide as Lark's. Haven flung her arms around me and Bernadette. "Nothing can happened to us or our familys, I'll just simply die if it does!" she whimperd. "Oh you will die, all of you. You mudbloods, traitors, you sicken me." Bellatrix spit on Haven. "You are gonna pay for that Black." Lo said standing her wand rasied. "I wouldn't attack a prefect, you halfblood." she said a look of pure hatred on her beautiful face. "They think they can attack us?" said a slytherin named Nott with an amused edge to his hard voice. "Let them try." said Lestrange glaring at us. "I would like to see if they are brave enough." Severus Snape snarled. "Silencio!" Lo shouted aiming at Snape. I wasn't sure why she wanted to take his voice away but I supposed it might be a good idea,or it would have been if it had worked, "Protego!" he shouted and the spell rebounded. Lo jumped out of the way and it hit Lark who opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. The slytherins sniggerd. Bellatrix mutterd something under her breath and the spell knocked an unsuspecting Haven backwards. The word 'Mudblood' cut itself into her lower arm, droplets of blood fell onto the grass and tears of fury leaked from Haven's eyes. "Now everyone will now how flithy and dirty your blood is." Bellatrix said laughing softly. Then she smiled at me, it was more of a sneer.... "Your turn Evans" she said raising her wand but from behind her amale voice yelled the disarming charm and Bellatrix's wand flew from her raised hand. "Potter." Bellatrix hissed and turning towards him. I took the oppertunity and yelled "Impendmenta!" she fell foward unable to move. she screamed and Snape yelled a curse and blue fire shot at me from his wand. "Protego!" I yelled just it time and the fire blew up knocking me into Bernadette who screamed another hex and Snape was now trying to stop a nose bleed. "You'll regret this mudbloods and losers." Lestrange threatned his wand returned to his robe as he carried Bellatrix away and Snape and Nott followed. "They're sick." Sirius said running up to us, "Are you all okay?" he looked concerned. "NOOOOOO" mouth Lark still unable to speak due to the silencing charm. "I'm not!" said Haven crying and staring at her bleeding arm. "Il take you up to the hospital wing" Lo said putting her arm around Haven and beckoning Lark to follow. "Go job on making snape get a nosebleed. Next time just curse his nose off. It would be an improvment." Sirius said to Bernadette who smiled. "And Evans managed to hex Bellatrix." Potter said with a grin. "So did you." Bernadette reminded him. "Thanks Potter for disarming Bellatrix before I got mudblood cut into my arm. I owe you one." I said grudgingly I really did not want to owe Potter any favors. "Then will you go out with me?" He asked hopfully, "No, Potter I wont." I answerd curtly. "Oh fine. Well I guess we will you girls around." James said and he and his friends walked back up to the castle. "We should go see Haven and lark, make sure they're all right." I said to Bernadette so we walked in silence up to the hospital wing. "I hate those future death eaters." Bernadette whisperd to me as we enterd the infirmary. Haven was still bleeding slightly and Lark said "Hi" in a horse voice moist unlike her own. "It will only get worse, this is just the beginning." Belltrix said from where she stood with Snape who was still trying to stop his nose bleed. "I promise it will get worse." she added.  
  
AN: hehe I really took the time into picking out names. ex: Alivina Truda the Huffle puff prefect ALIVINA: means Nobel friend and TRUDA: means Loved one. and the Ravenclaw Prefect INGRAM: means the son of the raven. see? well tell me what u think, and Ill post chapter two. 


	2. Green hair: The new trend?

CHAPTER TWO: "Hey Evans! Hey wait up!" James called out to me Wendsday morning as I walked down to care for magical creatures with Lo and Bernadette, (Lark and Haven had decided to take ancient runes instead.) "What is it Potter?" I asked curiosly. "My first quiddich practice is tonight and I'm wondering if you want to come?" he said ruffling his hair. "No thanks, I have er.. homework sorry." I said hoping he wouldn't persist. "Remember you owe me a favor. Would u rather watch my superb quiddich skills or have Bellatrix Black slice rude words into your arm?" he asked and I had to admit he had a rather good point. "Okay, I'll be there can I bring my friends?" I said, resigned to spend the night watching James catch a stupid golden ball. "Yeah sure, the more the merrier." he shrugged and messed up his hair agian as he rejoined his friends. "We have to come dont we?" Lo asked moodily. "Yes, you do." I whisperd to Lo as proffessor Kettleburn began a class dedicated to bowtuckles.  
  
"What should I wear?" Lark asked frantically in the dorm that night as we got ready for James's practice which would start in half and hour. Lark was the most excited about the rendevue. I wasn't too pleased but I did owe him a favor...better go to his practice then something else. "Just tie a goddamed scarf around your neck and you will look perfectly fine." Lo said finishing up her potions essay. "Come on you guys hurry up the sooner we get their the easier it will be to sneak out early." I said tapping my foot impatiently. "OH give it a rest Lily, we're coming." Lo said setting down her parchment and stretching. "Lets go." I said opening the door and bounding down the steps to the common room, then made a beeline for the portrait hole. "Don't walk so slow." Lo said sarcastically running to catch up to me as I hurried down the corridor. "If I didn't know any better, I would think you were rushing to see Potter." Bernadette teased and I ignored her as I finally began walking down the steps leading into the quiddich feild. "Evans!" James shouted from his broomstick, giving a cheery wave. "Hello Potter." I said stifly. I still thought he was an arrogent prat. I sat down at the front row watching him play and even I couldn't deny he was a remarkable seeker. "Hey Evans check this out!" he yelled as he let go of the snitch twirled upside down on his broom and caught the snitch still upside down. Lark cheered and Haven and Bernadette applauded politey, Lo rolled her eyes and I tried not to show any intrest, he showed enough intrest in himself. "Stop fooling around James come here!" shouted the Gyrffindor team captian Justin Wood, The team huddled together and then disbanded each practicing their own postitions. James continued displaying impressive catches and fancy broomwork. I yawn through most of it, even when he made a thirty foot dive, or when he did a backflip on his broom and still managaed to grab the snitch. "Wasn't that cool???" Lark asked me after he performed a particularly difficult catch. I shrugged. He tried too hard. When Justin called the team to a huddle again an hour or so later I was more than happy to leave the staduim and go to dinner. "James is soooo good on that broom!" Lark went on and on as I ate my chicken and carrots. When I finally began to eat my ice cream I said loudly "Potter isn't that great okay?" I said annoyed that I had to listen to Lark go on as though James was some sort of God. "Oh well excuse me!" Lark said afronted and was silent the rest of the night. I did feel sorta bad but I was so tired of hearing "James this..." and "James that..." It was extremely aggrivating. His ego was big enough with out Lark worshipping him.  
  
The next day James blocked me from getting out of the common room for breakfast. "So Evans..." James took a small golden snitch from his pocket, released it and caught it, his reflects were amazing, true enough, he just needed an amazing personality. "I'm good huh?" he asked grinning. "Your all right." I said walking around him to get to the portriat but he stepped in front of me agian. "Think you might conisder going to Hogsmeade with me now?" he asked. "No Potter, now your blocking my way." I said sharply. He finally moved and as I was climbing out of the common room I heard him say to Sirius "She wants me, I know it." I laughed about that all the way down to the great hall. "Hey Lily." Bernadtte said handing me a plate of eggs and toast. "Thanks" I said and began to eat. "Hey Lily?" Lark asked nervouolsy her alrerady overly wide eyes growing wider still. "Yes?" I asked. "Would you mind if I asked James out?" she said hurridly. "Mind?" I blinked "Of course not. ask away." I replied smiling. "Great!" she flushed hapily and ran over to James "Hey James you maybe wanna go out with me? Like to hogsmeade or somthing?" Lark asked. "No, because you have green hair." he said matter-of-faculty. "What? NO I don't" she said staring at him as though he were mad. "Now you do." he said and with a wave of his wand her strawberry blonde hair turned dark green, she let out a startled cry and ran out of the great hall, laughter echoing behind her. Haven jumped up to follow her muttering about James Potter being an asshole and ordering us to not to go after Lark. "Don't ever date him" Lo said glaring at a still-laughing James. "I wont." I promised and at that time I really believed I never would. "And what is it with him and turning peoples hair differnt colors, I mean how unimagnative." Bernadette said shaking her head in disaprovel. "UM, Bernadette that is the least of our worries." I said grinning. "I suppose your right. But you know....You can pay him back for what he just did to Lark." Bernadette said lowering her voice. "I'm not going to curse his hair green if thats what your planning." I said smiling. "Noooo thats not what I was thinking, its just....Your a prefect right?" Bernadette asked softly. "Hmmmmmm mmmmm." I said nodding. "Then get McGonagall to approve and then give Potter detetion, it would serve him right." Bernadette explained. "It would sevre the little git right." Lo interjected nodding in agreement. "I will have to supervise the detention though." I whined. "Its the least you can do for poor Lark, embarassed in front of the entire hall." Bernadette reminded me. "Fine." I said wondering why I let them talk me into it. And so during transfiguration that "Lovely" Thursday morning I walked up to Professor McGonagall's desk right after class. "Yes Evans?" she asked while shuffling papers. "I was, um wondering...Well you see Potter cursed my friend's hair green this morning and I believe I should give him detention." I said holding my breath for the reply. "OF course you may. Tell him his detention will be conducted in here tomarrow at seven. You must supervise it, however." she said handing mre a detetion pass and turned her back to me as she scribbled something on the chalk board. "Hey Potter!" I said catching up him him in the hall. "Hey Evans." he said cheerfully. "You have detention tomorrow night in McGonagall's room. Its at 7 O' clock I will be supervising it." I said and turned around leave him and his friends to themselves when he called back. "Why are you giving me detention?" He asked aggrivated. "Well that should be obvious! You turned my friend's hair green! What did you think you were gonna get a medal for doing that to Lark?" I said looking at him incredously and walked away.  
  
"Thank you Lily! I owe you one!" Lark said throwing her arms around me, that night as I told her about giving James detention. "Its okay Lark, really, your strangeling me though!" I choked messaging my neck as she got off me. "Thank you agian!" she said breathlessly. "Its fine Lark." I replied, it was the same way I replied to her hundred other breathless 'thank you's'. "Oh guess what?" Haven said grinning. "Who is going with you to hogsmeade Haven?" Lo asked in a bored disconcerned voice. "Justin Wood! seventh year, captian of the Gryffindor quiddich team he is the keeper and he is just gorgous! He asked me earlier today, he said he saw me watching the practice and he just had to have me be his date!" Haven gloated. "Thats great Haven, another boyfriend who will be gone next month and replaced by a cuter, better quiddich player." Lo said annoyed. "Your just jealous-" Haven began "Don't you ever even think for a second that Im jealous of the likes of you! I can get a date to hogsmeade too! just watch me!" Lo hissed at a very taken aback Haven. She stood up and walked across the common room,her long dark hair flowing behind her and she stopped in front of Black, Potter, Lupin and Pettigrew. "What is it Ping? Here to yell at us about turing your friends hair green?" Black asked glaring at her as though daring her to start yelling. "Actaully no, you see Potter already has detention, so I think he has been punished enough. I want to talk to Lupin for a moment." she said curtly to Sirius,who shot back at her, "Anything you have to say to Remus, you can say in front of us." "Fine, I honestly don't care who hears." she said and then facing Remus she asked. "Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me in a couple weeks?" The four boys were shocked and sat in a dumb silence until Remus said: "Yeah! I'd love to." "Excellent. See you there." she said and proudly walked back across the common room and sat right in front of Haven and said one word. "HA!"  
  
"So now you have a bigger ego than Potter just because you have one date?" Haven asked a grinning-Lo at dinner the following night. "Its not possible to have a bigger ego than Potter." was all she said as she absent mindley munched on her salad. "I have to go you guys, time for James's detetion." I said standing up and walking over to his part of the table. "Time to go Potter." I said brisky. "But they haven't served dessert yet!" he pouted. "Get over it,one night without dessert wont kill you." I said waiting. and with a heavy sigh he stood. "Farewell." he mumbled sadly to his friends as though he were on his death bed. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Sirius called after him. "ThennI can do pretty much anything...." He mutterd a gleam in his eyes. "No you can't." I said "How about we just PRETEND I had detetion today and you be nice and let me go eat dessert...I think its brownies tonight!" he suggested. "How about, not." I said and lead him into the empty transfiguration classroom. "Okay so what am I supposed to do?" he asked flopping a chair "Your supposed to write lines." I said handing him parchment as he dug his quill out from his pockets. "And what message shall these lines, you speak of, convey?" he asked leaning foward his eyes wide with feinged intrest. "You will write 'I will not turn Lily's friend's hair differnt colors.' and you will write it for the next hour." I istruscted and sat down at another desk and began to read. It wasn't until a few minutes later I noticed he was whispering to a mirror. "What the hell?" I asked a grabbed the mirror and instead of seeing dark red hair and bright green eyes looking back at me I saw the face of Sirius Black, the hysterically laughing face of Sirius Black and the face of Sirius Black yelling "James your busted!" "Wow I don't know how Sirius appeard in my mirror...Wow the crazy things that happen to me..." James said smirking. "Your staying here and WRITING LINES for an extra half hour, you imbecile." I said sitting back down. It couldn't have been more than twenty minutes later when I heard a humming sound and I realized James was singing softly under his breath. "Heere comes santa clause, here comes santa clause,right down santa clause lane..." "Potter?" I said sweetly "Yes?" he answerd back blinking his eyes inncoently. "IT'S SEPTEMBER WILL YOU NOT SING CHRISTMAS CAROLS?" i askes furiosly. "Oh well, if they bother you." he said and in another couple of minutes I heard him singing. "little kneazel foo foo hopping through the forest scooping up the feild faeries and bopping them on the head..." he sang "Potter will you shut up?" I asked slamming my book shut. Only a half hour had passed meaning I still had another hour to go. "Why I didn't know singing was agaisnt the rules. You only told me not to sing christmas carls and little kneazel foo foo certainly isnt a christmas carol." she said and agian tried to look innocent. "You can't sing at all." I said firmly and looked over he had written it a decent amount of times and so I leaned back and opened my book agian. Another half an hour passed wihtout disruption and finally it was 8:30, time to leave. I took his paper and read the first line, but it didn't say 'I will not turn Lily's friend's hair differnt colors.' instead it said "Lily is a ditse, Lo is a meanie, Haven is a bigger meanie, Lark is ugly and Bernadette likes Sirius." and that was written over and over aand over agian, execpt it seems had a taken a break or two in writitng lines to decorate the side of the parchment will little snitches. "You-are-" I couldn't think of what to say. "Whats am I?" he asked. I waved my want and parchment burned instantly, the ashes floating to the floor im standnign there smiling. "Your dead Potter!" I said grabbing my wand. "Come on Evans, I don't want any trouble!" he said trying his hardest to keep his face striaght. And then I cursed him witht the first hex that came to mind. and for a second after I mutted the incantation to my wand James and I stood their in silence and then we laughed...I don't know how long we laughed for but when James looked in his mirror he laughed even harder. I had given James green hair.  
  
"Let me get this straight, you put him in detention for turning someones hair green and then at the end of your detention with him you turn HIS hair green?" Lo said laughing. "Yeah, thats how it turned out." I smiled. "So then is he still and arrogent prat?" Bernadette asked. "Yes." I said unsure whether or not I meant it. "I bet your gonna start liking him now, and you'll get all high and mighty Lily Potter." Lo teased. "NO I wont!" I said laughing. "I bet you will!" Bernadette said giggling "Yeah well you can be all high and mighty Bernadette Black!" I bickerd "NO I wont be!" Bernadette said giggling harder. "And Lo can be high and mighty Lo Lupin?" asked Remus who was standing behind us smirking while James Sirius and Peter were doubling up with laughter. "High and might Bernadette Black? High and mighty Lily Potter?" James chocked inbetween breaths as he continued laughing. "Yeah, yeah laugh it up." Bernadette said blushing. "Well anyways, Lo, I was wondering if you wanted to study with me tonight? We have a quiz in Charms coming up." Remus said still smiling. "Yeah it sounds great, meet you in the common room at 5 O' clock or so then?" Lo said. "Great, um see you around Lily Potter and Bernadette Black." Remus said winking as he lead his laughing friends away with him. "Well I think Ill just crawl into a hole and die now..." Bernadette said with a nervouse giggle. "I think I'll join you." I agreed blushing furiosly.  
  
A/N this is probabley the shortest chapter (Or oone of) in the book its a littlemore than 5 pages, but There will be at least one more new chapter by Monday, promise! hehe anyone like? READ & REVIEW !!!! Its the only way I know I should keep posting chapters. -April 


	3. The other side of Sirius Black

CHAPTER 3: The other side of Sirius Black  
  
The first week of October arrived bringing with it a chill wind that scatterd red and orange leaves across the grounds, a new quiddich season and the anticipation of a Hogsmeade visit that weekend. Lily, Bernadette, Lo, Lark, and Haven sat under a tree finishing an essay in care for magical creatures, about nifflers. Lily pulled her scarf tighter around her neck, if the common room and library weren't so crowded she wouldn't be doing her homework outside in the pale October sun. "Oy there!" called a gruff voice and I almost jumped when I identitfied the speaker. He was tall, massive around maybe 12-13 feet high. His face was half coverd by course thick curly hair, beard and eyebrows. "'Ello ladies. Don' be frightend, I'm sure you've must'a seen me round before. I'm the gamekeeper!" He said cheerfully, and I did have a vauge memory of seeing this...a man was it?...around the castle before, although we had never spoken. "Im Lo!" Lo said imediatly jumping up and extending her hand. "Pleasure to meet you!" he said shaking her hand hard her entire body bounced bit. "Oy! Sorry there I don' know me own strength sometimes." he said grinning...at least I think he was underneath his tangled beard. "Were all fifth year Gryffindors. Thats, Haven Hart, Next to her is Lark Gelasia, beside me is Bernadette Shadow and next to Bernadette is Lily Evans, Lily is a prefect!" Lo explained. And this gamekeeper beamed, even through the hair, I knew he was beaming and It made me feel instantly more comfortable around him. "Shadow eh? I knew yer dad. Nice Bloke, he was. Name was Clark Shadow, am I right?" He said adressing Bernadette who like me, looked at suprisingly at ease around this enormous gamekeeper. "Yep, thats my father." she said with a grin. Then he turned to me "A prefect eh? Thats a mighty big honor! You keep doin' well!" He said tapping me on the shoulder which I'm sure ws a gesture intended to be gentle and friendly even if it did make me fall backwards a bit. He didn't notice however because then he spoke agian, this time to all of us. "I'm dreadful sorry! I never introduced meself! Im Reubus Hagrid. Call me Hagrid. Everybody does! Now I best be getting back to me work but I'll see you girls 'round!" he went on into a rather large shack humming to himself as he walked away. "I like him!" Lo said happily and continued to describe why you can never domesticate a niffler. "I like him too!" Bernadette agreed. I nodded happily and Lark gave a thumbs up as she continued writing. "I don't know, he seemed sotr of uncivil..." Haven said seemingly still undecided about Hagrid. "OH please, Haven, he was reall nice!" I said annoyed with her. "Yeah your right." she said and returned to her own essay. "We should stop by his cabin sometime. He doesn't seem to get many vistors." I suggested and even Haven grinned at the idea.  
  
"I can't believe its Thursday and I STILL haven't decided what to wear on my date with Justin Wood, the quiddich captian, Saturday..." Haven said at breakfast that Thursday. "OKAY First of all, WE KNOW BY NOW HE IS THE QUIDDICH CAPTIAN BECAUSE YOU TELL US THREE TIMES A DAY! Second you should wear clothes, and third WE DON'T CARE." Lo excalimed. "Oh, well your just jealous because Lupin, isn't the quiddich captian." Haven replied haughtily "Yeah well you just jealous because Remus actually likes me! We have been studying together every Friday night and you and Justin haven't spoken since he asked you out." Lo rertorted seemingly pleased wiht her reply. "We've said HI!" Haven shot back. "There's a great conversation." Lo mumbled sarcastically, but they're agruement desisted as we made our way to our first class Thursday morning, Transfiguration. "Hello class." Professor McGonagal greeted as we all sat down. "Now, I am going to be assigning partners today. You and your partner will work together every class period and will do your homwork TOGETHER." she said and there were soft groans from my fellow classmates. "I would like Remus Lupin and Lo Ping." McGonagal said and Lo smiled smugly as she and Remus pulled two desks to together and watched Professor McGonagal continued paring partners. "I would like Peter Pettigrew and Haven Hart." Lo reached in her bag to hide her smirk. "Our third partner pair I want James Potter and Bernadette Shadow." McGongal called. "And our last partners shall be Sirius Black and Lily Evans. Lark has the highest average in the class for this year and so she has not been appointed a partner. Lark frowned, she was probabley hoping to get an excuse to spend time with Potter. and then the truth about my partner sank in. I had to put up with Sirius Black, who talkd to Potter through enchanted mirrors, who was my best friends crush and who was incredbley handsome and liked to play pranks. 'Great' I thought sarcastically. "Hey Evans whats up? Ready to vanish some mice?" he said in mock happiness as Lark handed each partner pair a mouse. "You do the work, I'll supervise." he said looking bored. "No we will both do the work. If your as smart as you are lazy we should be able to do our wokr quick." I said taking out my wand. "If your as smart as you are annoying the work should be done even quicker." he said grinning at his own remark. "Hahaha." I said sarcastically. Hey hey! Sarcasm is my thing." he said frowning. "NO its my thing." I bickerd. "Do yoou have that in writing?" he asked seriously. "Noooo, do yoou?" I asked expecting"no" as the answer but when he dug in his bag and pulled out a sheet of parchment that said "Sarcasm, and all its uses belong to Sirius Black." he read it aloud. "You have to much spare time." I said shaking my head. "No, I don't have enough." he disagreed. "Okay fine then, you don't have enough, can we vanish this thing now?" I said aiming my wand at the mouse. "Sure vanish away, Im naming the mouse Lily." he said holding the mouse still for me. "Lily?" I said dropping my wand. "Yes its name is Lily. This mouse is annoying me and your annoying me, your name is Lily and because of that I named our mouse Lily." he explained slowly and clearly. "Your so-" I began and he cut me off. "Sexy? Oh don't worry I know." He said grinning. To frustrated to argue I aim at the mouse and vanished it perfectly. "Class is over." Professor McGonagall said. "I want an essay on how vanishing mice is more difficult than snails, you are to complete it with your partners and hand it in to me Monday." She said and dismissed us. "We can work in it Sunday night." I said. "Yeah, whenever." Sirius shrugged and went over to James, who was ruffling his hair.  
  
"Hi!" Haven called to Justin in the common room Friday night. "HI! I'll meet you here tomorrow at 9 am, when we can leave okay?" Justin called back to her and she nodded anf flipped her hair. "I wish James was going with me." Lark said ruefully. "Do you wish your hair was green agian?" Lo asked "No, but-" "Then don't wish James was your date." Lo said and ran over to Remus to arrange there day's schedual for the Hogsmeade trip the next day. "Well the day should be fun even though we don't have dates." Bernadette insisted as we played chess. "Yeah I think it will be." I agreed. Then our game was disturbed by a loud noise. Sirius and James were standing on a table and James had made the noise with his wand to quiet the common room. "Ladies and gentelmen, I would like to announce Sirius has just gotten his 100th detention!" James called and applause echoed through the room. "This detention was for something like throwing water balloons at first years with Peeves and they didn't seem to care it was Peeve's idea." Sirius continued. and I laughed James and Sirius were the only two people who could befriend a poltergeist. "We have broughten some food and drink for you all and would like to have a 100th detention party!" Sirius added popping the cap in a butterbeer and gulping half of it down. There were loud cheers and soon a party had began. Bernadette and I abandonded our game, there was no point in playing chess during a party. "Hey Evans, my mouse partner get over here!" Sirius called. "Im your transfiguration partner, Black, not your mouse partner" I said though couldn't help but return his grin. "We wish you a marry christmas, we wish you a marry christmas! we wish you a marry christmas and a happy new year!" James an Sirius sang in unison and then James said laughing "Ha! You can't tell me to stop singing X-mas carols now!" he laughed some more and walked away humming "Santa clause is coming to town!" "Well my party awaits my dashing good looks." Sirius said grinning gain more broadly and walked away singing "God rest ye merrye hippogriffs" under his breath. "I can't believe you like Sirius." I said grabbing a butterbeer for me and Bernadette and sitting next to her by the fire. "I can't believe I like him either." she said with a shrug "But, you don't pick the person you fall for, thats why they say "Fall for" because you never mean to fall." Bernadette said thoughtfully.  
  
"Wake up! Rise and shine! Today is a beauty-filled day!" Haven cried happily drawing back the heavy curtains of our dorm and alwaying bright sun light the cascade through the windows and hit my face...not a very nice way to wake up, I'll tell you that. "Good morning sunshine!" Haven said grinning at us all, she was already dressed and had her make-up on. "Im gonna shove the sunshine AND the good morning up your ass if you keep being so god damned happy at 8 AM in the morning" Lo snapped yanking her blanket over her head sheilding the sunlight from her face. "Fine be late for Remus, hurt his feelings. I'm going to get breakfast with Lark." and fully dressed Lark appeared at Haven's side. "See you gals later." Lark said as they left the dorm. "Dammit she is right! I dont wanna be late for Remus." Lo threw the covers aside and angrily crossed the room grabbing clothes and vanishing into the bathroom. "I never thought of Lo as a morning a person." Berndette said grinning tossing her blakets away and selecting clothes from her trunk. I dragged myself out of bed too and used the mirror on the wall to brush my hair and seized the bath room once Lo exited fully dressed and ready to go. I finished getting ready about quarter of ten and Lo, Bernadette and I made our way down to the common room. Remus was ready and he and Lo took off together smiling. "If she could see herself right now, all giggly, she would puke." Bernadette said poiting at Lo and Remus. "Yeah but let her be happy I think she really likes Lupin." I said and smiled Lo hardly ever really liked anybody, even as a friend. Me and Bernadette went to the great hall and grabbed some breakfast before desecding the steps leadng into he village. We went into zonkos first, I dind't buy anything. "These tricks are so dumb what kind of moron would buy this stuff?" I asked Berndette who was staring at stink pellets with disgust, just then we saw James and Sirius each exit the stor about two big bags worth of Zonko's material with them. "I guess those morons." Bernadette said laughing. After insulting the Zonkos merchandise we went into a couple of others shops and around lunch tije we found a table in the crowded three broomsticks. Conversations melted together to form a constant buzzing sound in the background me and Bernadette drank our butterbeers. I looked around the pub and was't suprised at the number of hogwarts students that accupied the tables and stood together huddles in groups or sitting at the bar. I saw Justin and Haven kissing in a corner table and Lark sitting across from them looking bored and drinking a butterbeer, had I not wanted to tinterupt Haven and Justin or had I liked Lark just a little bit more I would have welcomed her to sit with me and Bernadette. I saw Remus and Lo sitting together chatting away. Bellatrix Black sat with the weird Lestrange guy and they were discussing s list of some sort that was on the table and Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Flitwick and Hagrid,who caught my eye and went over to me and Bernadette. "I didn't know you lot were friends with James, Sirius and Remus!" He exclaimed excitedly. "OH well, Lo and Remus are dating so..." I trailed off but smiled. "I think James fancies you Lily, he has been glancing at you ever since yer sat down here." Hargid said with a wink, why do people feel the need to wink?  
  
"Where is he? I didn't see him." I said scanning the room. "Well O course yer wouldn' he is in his invisablity cloak. He's wearin it so that he can cause a bit O mayhem without being caught." he said laughing heartily. "He is a trouble maker no denyin it, him and Sirius." Hagrid smiled. "What kind of mayhem?" Bernadette asked curiosly. "OH I think they are gonna-" there was a loud yelp and Severus Snape was coverd in what looked like two large flasks of butterbeer. The patrons of the threebroomsticks laughed at a very sticky, wet, buttery snape. Hagrid chuckled too. "Yep, thats the kind O mayhem they stir up! I best be goin' reckon I'll se you girls 'round." he sasid and rejoined McGonagall and Flitwick. The rest of the day went by quickley as we went into the owl imporiem and Dervish and Banges then into Honeydukes to buy a few sweets of choice before going back to Hogwarts around 5. It was a good day and before I went to sleep I thought about what Bernadette said "You don't chose who you fall for." and I wonderd, vaugly If I was, or would ever fall for a boy who liked to ruffle his already messy Black hair, a boy who was a fanstic seeker and who spilled butterbeer on people he didn't like. Could I ever like James Potter?  
  
"Hey Evans! We, or rather, YOU have an essay to right for tranfiguration." Sirius called and plopped down beside me in the common room, afternoon time the next day. "YOUR going to help me Black." I said glaring at him. "Clam down Evans, Im going to help. Jeez take a joke." He said picking up his quill. "I saw what you did to Snape yesterday, in the three broomsticks. That was great." I said too him five minutes or so later. "Yeah that was pretty good huh? We threw rocks at him for while too...." Sirius sniggerd and looked back down at the parchment. "Well...er thats a little bit meaner." I said but still smiling. "Well he is an oddball who has a huge nose, his head wrapped up in the dark arts and he never misses a chance to curse me and James sooo...its just payback." Sirius explained running his fingers through his perfect casual black hair. His dark eyes focused on the parchment still. "You get good grades Black?" I asked wondering if he wad dumb or just appeard that way. "What? Oh yeah, I get great grades. School is easy." He said adding to my last sentence on the essay. "I never thought you would be smart." I said looking at him, trying to see through him. "Well, thats my other side." he said "Oh, well okay then." I answerd, thourghly confused. "You know Hagrid?" I asked a few minutes later. "Hagrid! Of course! He's been mine James's Remus's and Peter's buddy since First year! He's a good friend." Sirius said thoughtfully. "I just meet him, he is really nice." I agreed. "Well yeah is always willing to help me and James especially. Thinks were great guys, feel kinda guilty sometimes when we sneak into the forest or something, he hates it when we do that." Sirius smiled. "I never knew you could feel guilty, I mean your a person who just celebrated his 100th detention." I said shocked. "Well thats my other side agian." He winked and then added another paragraph to our essay. "We're done!" I said suprised at how fast we finished it. "Yeah we make a good team Evans" He walked back to James and Peter Lo and Remus were studying together....studying in between soft kisses on each others cheeks. And I felt myself wondering about James, yet agian, did James have another side too?  
  
ather, YOU have an essay to right for tranfiguration." Sirius called and plopped down beside me in the common room, afternoon time the next day. "YOUR going to help me Black." I said glaring at him. "Clam down Evans, Im going to help. Jees take a joke." He said picking up his quill. "I saw what you did to Snape yesterday, in the three broomsticks. That was great." I said too him five minutes or so later. "Yeah that was pretyy good huh? We threw rocks at him for while too...." Sirius sniggerd and looked back down at the parchment. "Well...er thats a little bit meaner." I said but still smiling. "Well he is an oddball who has a huge nose, his head wrapped up in the dark arts and he never misses a chance to curse me and James sooo...its just payback." Sirius explained running his fingers through his perfect casual black hair. His dark eyes focused on the parchment still. "You get good grades Black?" I asked wondering if he wad umb or just appeard that way. "What? Oh yeah, I get great grades. School is easy." He said adding to My last sentence. "I never thought you would be smart." I said looking at him, trying to see through him. "Well, thats my other side." he said "Oh, well okay then." I answerd, thourghly confused. "You know Hagrid?" I asked a few minutes later. "Hagrid! Of course! He's been mine James's Remus's and Peter's buddy since First year! He's a good friend." Sirius said thoughtfully. "I just meet him, he is really nice." I agreed. "Well yeah is always willing to help me and James especially. Thinks were great guys, feel kinda guilty sometimes when we sneak into the forest or something, he hates it when we do that." Sirius smiled. "I never knew you couold feel guilty, I mean your a person who just celebrated his 100th deteion." I said shocked. "Well thats my other side agian." He winked and then aded another paragraph to our essay. "We're done!" I said suprised ast how fast we finished it. "Yeah we make a good team Evans" He walked back to James and Peter Lo and Remus were studying together....studying in between soft kisses on each others cheeks. And I felt myself wondering about James, yet agian, did James have another side too? I sat for a while and I would have sat longer if Remus hadn't came over. "What are you looking at?" Remus asked pleasently and added "You have been staring at the blank wall for around 5 or 6 minutes now." I blushed at his friendly teasing face and muttered "Didn't know staring at a wall was agiant the rules." He rolled his eyes. "Its not agiasnt any rules, but its weirder than some of the things James and Sirius do, and once your weirder than James and Sirius there should be a red flag." I laughed at Remus. "No wonder Lo, likes you. You pretend to be all shy, but your really almost as outspoken as she is1" I said "No. No one is as outspoken as Lo. Thats why I like her." he said smiling at Lo who was sitting int he corner now talking animatedly with James and Sirius. "Hey why are you over here with me and not with Lo?" I asked suspiciasly. "Because James is wondering if your gonna be at the quiddich game next week and he is too much of an idiot to ask you himself." Remus said promptly "Yes of course I'm going and 'Ill be wearing a red and gold scarf and if it will make James feel any better and your willing to LIE to him then tell him I will be wearing a sign that says 'My love belongs to the wondeful seeker, James Potter.'" I said and laughing he went back over to James, Sirius, Peter and Lo and they began talking. "Hey Evans!" James yelled suddenly. "Yeah?" I called back "Instead fo a sign that says that, how about a tee shirt? I have a box of them I'll give you one free!" he said smiling at me "Jeez Thanks Potter, How can I ever thank you?" I said sarcastically "Well you could-" he began before I cut him off "Forget it Potter." I replied taking out a book and sat next to Bernadette who was finishing a star chart. James turned away to talk to Sirius, smirking "God Potter kept glancing at you the entire time you sat statinmg into space, you lucky thing." Bernadette joked. "I'm bored." I said frowing trying to think of something to do. "Wanna go see Hagrid?" Bernadette asked. "Sounds great." I stood up and just as we were headed out the portrait hole Lo came up behind us. "And just where do you think your going with out me?" Lo asked insulted. "We were going to visit Hagrid. Want to come with us?" I asked, "Of course I do." she said and we went out into the chill October air together making our way hastily across the grounds. Bernadette knocked lightly on the door and he answered almost imediatly. his eyes lit up into a smile. "Come in! Come in!" he said ushering us inside and motioning for us to sit. "How yer bin?" He asked pouring as ll some tea. "Very well, thank you." I said "Pretty good!" Bernadette replied "Good! How about you?" Lo asked. "I'v bin alright! I was hop'in you migh' stop by fer a visit." He said "What have you been up to?" Lo asked. "Nothin'...or well I was breeding thestrals in ther for'st. Amazin creaturs! Can any O you see em?" He asked "I can't." I said. ""No I never have been able too, can anyone?" Lo said. "I can." Bernadette said softly. "The on'y people who can see thestrals, are those people who 'ave seen death." He said suddenly serious "Oh...." Lo shudderd. "Yep, but they are fasin'atin." He said averting the subject from death. "Do you breed any other creatures?" I asked. "Oh yeah! Tons of 'em!" He said proudly "Part of me duty as Gamekeeper!" "Sounds like an interesting job." I commented. "O it is! But wha' I've always wanted ter do, don' laugh now, I'v always wanted to be a teacher for Magical creatures..." he said his voice trailing off with a sigh. "Well, I have a feeling that you can be one someday! Your great with magical creatures, your friendly....You would be great." I said. "Oh my god its 10:07! We can only be out until 9:00!" Bernadette cried suddenly. "Oh! You best be getting up ter that Castle then!" Hagrid said surpised. "Bye Hagrid, would you mind if we visit you sometimes?" I questioned nervously. "Mind? I'd love it!" He said grinning. The three of us ran through the grounds watching for any sign of a teacher and we heard a twig snap and hushed voices ahead of us, but there was no one...unless. "Potter are you in that invisbility cloak?" I yelled to the seemingly empty grounds. "SHHHHHHHHH." Sirius hissed. "Its me and Sirius." James said "We were gonna visit Hagrid." Sirius explained. "Its too late now, it's past ten!" Bernadette yelled to them. "Thats why we have the cloak." Sirius's voice echoed from nowhere. "Come on Sirius if its too late, its too late, but Filch is right in the entrance hall, these lovley ladies wont be able to get back inside without risking detention...unless Lily wants to owe me another favor." "What are you talking about Potter?" Lo demanded her patience deteriorating. "What he is talking about, Ping, is that your four get inside this cloak with us and we will take you back to the common room." Sirius hissed and pulled the cloak up a little tiny bit so that his and James's shoes were visble about 10 feet ahead of where Lo, Bernadette and I stood. We rushed ahead and I felt myself pushing agianst Potter as we drapped the cloak so it coverd all of us. We had to walk slowly through the corriders so as not to make noise when Filch, Peeves or Mrs. Norris would pop out suddenly. When we finally reached thr portrait and said "Penesieve", the password we threw off the cloak and flung outseleves into the comfy chairs of the common room. "That was interesting." Lo said. "So what do you want as a favor?" I asked dreading his answer. "I want....You know how you were joking around about wearing that sign at my quiddich match, well I want you to really wear one." He grinned evily. "What? Potter your out of your mind!" I exclaimed. "No, actually I'm quite sane, and serious." "Forget it!"  
  
"You owe me!" "I refuse." "You have to!" "No I don't!" "Ill curse your hair green!" "You curse my hair green Potter I curse your hair pink." "Come on Evans wear the sign!" "NOOOO" I said and tired of bickering I went upstairs. "I am not wearing that sign!" I yelled to a laughing Bernadette and Lo. "Hey we don;'t care what you do, Its Potter who is bugging you." Bernadette said, but even though she was chuckling her eyes looked distant as though she were really trapped in a memory. "Um Bernadette, can we be totally serious for a moment?" I said the laughter vanishing instantly from her face. "Sure, we can Lily." she and Lo sat down on either side of me on my bed. "Who did you see die?" I asked with baited breath. "I saw a person murderd this summer. I saw them let out a scream and fall and afterwards I saw there eyes hollow and blank." Tears rolled down her cheek. "I saw a death eater murder my oldest brother Bernard. Bethem, my oldest sister saw it too, she was in Mungos for weeks." Bernadette gasped as though every breath she inhaled caused her pain. "I'm gonna do whatever it takes to defeat Voldemort and his followers, they are going to pay." she said and hiccuped, shaking from sobs. "Why did you never tell us?" I asked feeling slightly hurt. "Because saying that it happened means I have to think about it...I didn't tell anyone that Bernard was even dead I couldn't say it....and when I saw the thestrals this year I wanted o cry so badly I wanted to tell someone but I still couldn't, the words chocked me...they still do." "Why would someone want to kill Bernard?" Lo asked "Because he is in a secret Order tht fights agianst Voldemort and his followers. He, Bethem, and Ben, my 18 year old brother, are all in it....I am gonna join too." she was still crying though she spoke clearly her voice strong. "How old do you have to be to join?" Lo asked excitment running through her. "Out of school, and 18, but Dumbledorr took Ben, who is in seventh year at Durmstrang...he didn't want to come back here to many memories with Bernard, didn't you guys even remember Ben should have been coming back? You never asked." she was clearly hurt. "Why did you think I went to peices so much about Sirius the first day back? It wasn't only him, other things had gone wrong too, my best friends didn't even notice the change in me." a fresh wave of tears glistened on her cheeks. "I, I just don't know what I to say." I said now crying too. Lo was glaring at the ceiling. "I'm gonna make them wish they never messed with one of my friends. They are going to regret ever laying a hand on the Shadow family." Lo said she wasn't crying but the excitment had gone form her eyes and was replaced by indescribable anger. "Of course they are going to regret it. I'm going to help venge Bernard too." I said hugging Bernadette, but I knew no matter what we said she wouldn't feel any better. "I love you guys." Bernadette said in a small voice. "We love you too." I said as Lo nodded still glaring at the blank celing as though the death eaters were hiding up there, invisable and motionless. "I think we should get some sleep." Bernadette suggested, but I lay awake for hours I heard Haven and Lark come upstairs sometime around midnight and I heard them wake up and dress the next morning, no sleep came to me that night, anger, guilt flowed through me, I was so...so confused...The world as I had always known it was gone. My world was now personally affected by the death eaters it wasn't just a story in the papers anymore it was reality.  
  
"I'm gonna kill the basterds!" Sirius yelled about death earters. Bernadette, Lo and I had agreed to tell He, Remus and James...Peter couldn't be trusted. "Kill them, torure them, the slimeballs, the flithy murdering sons of a flesh eating slugs!" Sirius was yelled agian "Sirius calm down." James said his face white with contained rage. "They can't get away with murdering Bernadette's 20 year old brother!" he screamed taking oiut his wand. "Sirius if you care this much, your vunerable." Lo said pacing. "I knew Bernard, he was a friend, he showed me the ropes when I was first year. I can't pretend not to care." He seethed and a single tear fell down his cheek. "Sirius?" I said cautiosly. He looked at me helplessly. "Is this your other side? The side you told me so much about, the side that cares?" My voice was very small I didn't want to offend him. "Both sides of me care, this is the side that does something for the things he cares about, this is the side I told you about and this side of me or whatever the hell it is, is either going to kill Lord Voldemort and his army or die trying." "Noble words." James said grabbing Sirius's shoulder in a brotherly fashion. "I'll be by your side until the day I die." No one ever knew how true, the words the spoke that day were, not even themselves.  
  
AN: Rest in Peace Sirius & James. Okay I know your all itching for Lily and Jmes to hook up, but givre it a couple more chapters, I promise romance and you'll get romance but these things take time. Don't worry it wont take THAT long but The story just started. Read and Review so Ill know to post Chapter four. -April 


	4. The Riddle of the Full Moon

CHAPTER FOUR: THE RIDDLE OF THE FULL MOON  
  
"Hey Lily." He stood in a dark doorway with shadows across his face, when he stood into the light I realized it was James Potter. "I've never seen you before" He said and it was an odd thing to say. "Yes you have! Im Lily Evans!" I said angrily, why was he preteding not to know me? "I don't know a Lily Evans." he said moving closer towards me but his face was once agian lost in shadow. "You have to know me." I said sensing him coming closer with ever breath I took and I felt his lips close to mine...we kissed for what seemed like an eternity. "I love you Lily." he whisperd and we kissed agian and I never wanted it to end. And then, he was there no more. I lay in the darkness of my dorm my eyes flew open but he wasn't there, nor had he ever been. It was a dream.  
  
"You did not dream that!" Lo said shocked. "I did!" I insisted as Lo, Bernadette and I talked in Divination, and we didn't even get in trouble for discussing it, since we were doing dream interpritations. "Thats the weirdest dream I have ever heard." Bernadette said furrowing her eye brows. "Maybe its not, maybe she is secretly inlove with James?" Lo asked sharply. "No, I am not secretly inlove with anyone." I insisted. "So explain your dream? Why James Potter?" Bernadette said lowering her voice. "I have no idea." I said simply. "Well these books don't know shit anyways I'm not looking to them for answers." Lo said shutting her dream oracle. "Maybe you should go on a date with him, you owe the poor bloke a favor, and it would sure as hell make his day." Lo said. "Your the one who told me never to date him." I pointed out. "True and I stand by that desicion, but ONE date is completely differnt then dating." Lo said "I guess your right....But I'm gonna have to think about it....I just don't know." I felt more confused then I had ever been before. I wasn't sure whether or not I had feelings for James or if he really liked me and didn't just want to go out with me because he just wanted a girl friend or somthing stupid. Even when you attend a school where you learn potions and spells, you have the same hormones and feelings as normal teenagers. "I can't decide." I said frustrated. "When your ready to date him, you will know, so if you can't decide then don't" Bernadette advised. Lo paused then said "She's right, sorry for pushing you, you'll know when you want to." "Thanks, I just wish I did know." I sighed and leaned back in my chair with my eyes shut tryng to block out the room, and trying to contemplate about James Potter. "Ms. Evans you miss undertood the assingment, you are not to dream IN my class you are to iterprate the dreams you have already had". teacher shouted scandelized, since it was the end of class I didn't bother trying to interprate any more instead I packed my bag ready and waiting for the day to end.  
  
"Remus is gone? For one, maybe two days? why? I demand explanation!?" Lo screamed at James and Sirius in the common room that night. "Calm down, don't wet yourself." Sirius said lazily, obviously in no hurry to explain. "He has to take care of his mom for a day or so, she is sick. He never told you?" James said in the same lazy disconcerned voice. "No, he never me! Do...Do you two have him locked up in a closet somewhere?" Lo yelled. Sirius and James Burst into laughter. "Oh you caught us!" Sirius said. "Yeah thats what we do when Remus pisses us off, we shuve him in a closet and lock the door. James said still laughing. "Well you never know!" Lo shouted back, blushing. "I'm sure Remus is fine, Lo." I said soothingly. "I can check a few closets if you like." Bernadette offerd unable to hide her smile. Lo shook her head, "No I don't think they have him in a closet...but a cabinet is a differnt issue completely" she joked. We laughed and went to bed. The next week had a highly charged atmosphere because of one reason, the first quiddich game of the season Gryffindor VS. Slytherin. James was the center of everything and he loved it. "Hey James! I'll be watching." said Lyris Esther, the Ravenclaw prefect I had met on the train. She wasn't the first girl to wish him luck, nor was she the last. James didn't mind all the attention he messed up his hair so it looked as though he had just got off his precious broomstick and he nicked a snitch from the team practice and would realease in the hallway and catch it just before it escaped him. This was often followed by applause and Peter Pettigrew was known to jump up and down at times. Remus also came back and after assurig Lo, that his mother was sick and he had not spent a his time in a closet or cabinet Lo apoligized for accusing James and Sirius. The night of the match was unsually quiet in the common room, James was sitting with Sirius, Remus and Peter (What a suprise) and instead of being loud and cheerful James seemed oddly subdued...was he nervous?  
  
"I give you the GRYFFINDOR TEAM!" The announcer, Lyle Jordan shouted over the thundering applause from the scarlet and gold end of the staduim. It was true, too that most of the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws were cheering too. "Justin Wood! Keeper and Captain!" Lyle yelled as Justin stopped in the middle of the feild redy to face his oppentiants. "Alezander Johnson as a chaser!" Alexander Johnson a very cute african boy stood on Wood's right side. "Nixie Olive chaser number two!" He called as a short blonde 2cd year walked tentatvily onto the feild, even from a disrance it wa clear that the poor girl was shaking. "The third Chaser is Acantha Primrose!" He yelled as another girl, this one in 6th year, walked to stand with her team. "Our Gryffindor beathers are Killian Burl, 4th year and Laidley Oakes (Sounds a bit like a cearel no?) also in 4th year." He paused so people could show their support for the first six members of the team. "AND THE BEST SEEKER GRYFFINDOR, NO THE ENTIRE SCHOOL HAS SEEN FOR A GOOD MANY YEARS, JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMES POTTER!" Lyle yelled and James, of course, go the loudest applause yet. "Now, please welcome the oppsing Slytherin team." Lyle said. "Lets introduce our seeker and captian Charles Flint. Our two beaters Devlin Welford and Doyle Nott. The keeper Rudophulus Lestrange, and the chasers Jarvis Cooper, Samuel Roe and Gerry Cone." His voice was notebaly less enthusiastic as he announced the Slytherin team who were now facing the Gryffindors. Wood and Flint shook (And it seemed as though rather forecfully) hands and the whistle was blown, the match had begun. James did a few laps and a couple of impressive manuavers while the rest of the game was heated and brutal. Nixie Olive was kncoked off her broom when Devlin Welford, a slytherin beater, whacked a bludger at her head when she didn't even have the quaffle. In retaliation the Gyrffindor beater "Dropped" his club on the slytherin seekers head. After an hour of playing the score was Gryffindor 130 and Slytherin 90. James had stopped doing tricks and wa intently focused on finding the snitch. His eyes always scanning the feild, ever watchful....god he was cute when he was serious, if quiddich was the only thing that he cared about, than quiddich games would be the only time I cared about him...oh and I had a sticker on my hand that james had given me just before the game it read "My heart belongs to a sexy, daring, wonderful keeper:AKA James Potter" I don't owe him any more favors now,(Thank you merlin!) and no one had noticed, execpt for Haven, Lark, Bernadette, and Lo who promised to tease me forever. All of a sudden James's eyes lit up and he speed down ward from around 70 feet in the air the slytherin seeker Charles Flint was hurling behind him. I saw James extend his hand for a glittering gold ball, as the staduim held its breath and cheers exploded from the Gyrffindors as his Fingers closed around the snitch making the score Gryffinfors 280 and Slytherin 90.  
  
"Party!" was the first word James said as he got off his broom and was carried, CARRIED like a fucking hero( and I dont even swear!) into the Gryffindor common room. He is a good seeker, granted but he is not, IS NOT A HERO OR A GOD! Although he did have his fans, the biggest James Potter fan, was James Potter himself, without a doubt. and somewhere on the now empty windy quiddich staduim lay a sticker with a smeared message as it had been stepped on so many times, it landed in the dirt near the locker room and it had been thrown to the ground when Acantha Primrose kissed James Potter after the game. If James didn't like me anymore fine. I wasn't going to even consider liking him. But if I never liked him anyway why was I hurting so much? James and Acantha had there own private corner in the common room while Sirius was throwing small objects at them, they were so busy they hardly noticed. Gods it hurt. "Listen, he likes you he is just...a guy and guys want to be...er loved and you wont...um give him any love and so he ound another....um...er...another love giver." Bernadette said trying to make me feel better, it wasnt working. "Oh you didn't even like him Lily, stop being such a party recker." Haven said leaving us to make out with Justin. "I hate him he is so arrogent he doesn't understand anything." I said angrily. "What exactly doesn't he understand?" Lo asked puzzeled. "That I like him!" I said louder than I meant to, and went up to the dormatory, James must have seen me go because I heard his voice. "Get off me Acantha! Lily, hey! Hey Evans! Evans wait! Listen!" I didn't pause on the stairs but slammed the door in my room and flung my self on the bed drawing the curtains. I heard Lo and Bernadette come in and fling away my bed hangings staring at me in astonishment. "You do like him." Lo said disbelieving. "No." I sniffed, "I DID like him."  
  
"I'm sorry." Said James we were together in the locker room. It was cold, I shiverd. He put his arm around me and kissed my cheek. "I love you." I said crying and he was crying too. "I'm looking at you through ice" He said and magically a sheet of ice came between us, it was thick and cold and his face was clouded by it. "James?" I said "James? JAMES? JAMES?" I yelled pouding helplessly on the ice that seperated us. Then I felt some one shaking me. "James?" I asked lowering my voice agian.  
  
"No, honey its Bernadette." I opened my eyes and Bernadette was holding me looking at me with an odd expression on her face. "The ice? he is,or was..."I mumbled embarressed. "Don't worry only I heard you. Everyone else is awake and downstairs already it's ten thirty." she said. "What did I say?" I asked dreading the answer. "James....You said James, a lot. and It sounded PRETTY wrong if you ask me, but lets hope it was a PG dream." she said winking. "Oh gods." I mumbled burying my face in my hands. "Don't worry its not a big deal." Bernadette said handing me my robes and pushing me in the bathroom to get ready. I explained the dream to her while brushing my hair and getting dressed. "Ahh so I was mistaken, it wasn't a sex dream." she said as we walked into the common room. "Hi Lily." said James he looked awkward. I didn't say anything. "Listen um I don't like Acantha, we are just, friends..." He explained. "OF course you are Potter." I said shrewdly. "No I mean I like you, but I just, I didn't think it matterd to you, I didn't think you liked me at all..." he said "I don't like you, it does't matter." I said,my voice a little shakey...I never was able to tell a lie. "Yes, you do!" he said grinning "I don't." I said furiosly. "And you obviously have more in your mind then just me anyways." I stormed out fo the common room Bernadette following me along with James and Sirius. "Lily!" James yelled urgenecy in his voice. "Whatever there was, its over!" I called back. "There wasn't anything!" Sirius said to me. "Yes there was, but if it was nothing, there isn't even that left, he disgusts me! thinking he can just make out with anyone with anyone because he is some goddamed quiddich champoin, thinking he is jsut great and everyone should execpt whatever he does...." I turned around and yelled "GOOD-BYE JAMES!"  
  
And so Halloween came and went. October faded into November and I hadn't spoken to James for almost a month. He was busy with Acantha anyways. Sirius told me in transfiguration one day that I was an idiot and James was dating Acantha to make me jealous. I didn't belive him, I just fumed about being called an idiot. I never planned to speak to James agian, but you see I had too. Remus went away agian. "Potter, "I said making sure to keep my voice cold and harsh. "Where is Remus!" Lo said glaring. "Don't give me that bullshit about-" Lo began "He is visting his sick mom okay?" James said and looked at me. "Hogsmeade visit before the term ends. Acantha and I didn;t work out so well. She got mad and dumped me because I kinda had "L.E" scribbled on some spare parchment, and she guessed that LE stood for, Lily Evans. Evans I don't know what it is about you, but I can't get you out of my head." at the mention of head he messed up his hair. "Will you go with me to hogsmeade?" he asked. "Maybe I'll see you there." I said my voice not as cold. "Great." he grinned "WE'RE NOT THROUGH WITH YOU! Where is Remus?" Lo shrieked. "LOCKED IN A CLOSET!" Sirius yelled sarcastically and a fuming Lo stompped up to the dorm. "He isn't really?" Bernadette asked. "No." Sirius grinned "But it sure did get rid of Lo." he said and began conversing in low voices with Peter and James. "Hey!" Bernadette said pointing towards the sky "Its a full moon." she said staring at it. and sure enough a bright slivery orb hung silhoutted agiasnt the black sky. "Its beautiful." Bernadette sighed. "It is." I agreed. "Ha." James said loudly "Its beautiful al right, actaully its my favorite night of the month, and same for Sirius and Peter, not sure about Remus though." James said. "Oh he loves it." Sirius said sarcastically. "Why wouldn't he?" I asked curiosly. "NO reason." Siurs said stifling a laugha nd went back to his conversation with Peter and James. "You dont think Remus's mom is a werewolf?" I asked nervously "It would make sense." Bernadette said "Thats why he would have to go home every month to look after her...but does he always go home on the full moon?" she said thoughtfully. "We can check the lunar chart next month." I sighed "Wait though, why would James and Sirius and Peter LOVE the full moon if Remus was sent home to care for his mom?" Bernadette said suddenly. "Maybe Remus is the werewolf?" I asked wearily. "Why would they love that?" she asked. "Good point, lets not mention our werewolf theories to Lo, I think she might blame us." I said. "Yeah James and Sirius might love this time of the month, but they dont have to deal with Lo." Bernadette said giggling. "Too true." I added as we went into our dorms for bed.  
  
"Justin was saying-" Haven went on at breakfast, she an Justin had gone on a midnight stroll. It was funny she thought we cared. "Will you shut up already Haven? God." Lo said. "Oh I'm sorry someone is mad because they boyfriend is a momma's boy and has to go home." Haven spat back at her, sometimes I wish I didn't know Haven. "Shut up Haven I'm warning you!" Lo stood her wand raised, just as Remus came into the great hal, it looked as though he had been ill, not his mother, dark circles were beneath his eyes and he looked thinner than usual. Lo practically dropped her wand as she ran up to see her boyfriend. "Were you sick?" I heard her ask, curios myself to know the answer. "No my mother was maybe, I caught a bit of it" he said. Lo seemed happy with the answer but there was something in his voice told me he was lying. "Well come on girls, Thursday you know what that means-" Bernadette said rising form the table.  
  
"Transfiguration class today you will be vanishing humming birds. You may begin." Professor McGonagall instructed, "All right lets get down to buisness as usual then." Sirius said holding the bird still for me. "Is Remus a werewolf?" I asked. he was so suprised he dropped thr hummingbird which Professor McGonagall returned to us with a reproving look on her face. "No. What gave you that idea?" Sirius said regaining his composer. "That he vanishes for a day or so, just as the full moon comes around, he does it every month and there is no proof he visits his mother." "There is no proof he doesn.'t Sirius said rasing one eyebrow. "Well is he a werewofl?" I asked agian not satasfied. "No he isn't." "Then why does he not like the full moon, you let that slip last night in the common room." I argued. "Do you have a problem with werewolves?" Sirius asked sharply. "No, I just want to know the truth." I said staring into his eyes wiht mine. "Yes he is a werewolf, but you will tell NO ONE. Not Lo, not Bernadette, understand?" he said. I nodded. It wasn't my favorite transfiguration class ever.  
  
"I think Remus is a werewolf." Lo told me and Bernadette at lunch, looking at us carefully to observe our reactions. "I don't think that matters at all." I said plainly. "My uncle is a werewolf, and we had already suspected that." Berndette said and Lo looked relieved and went on "Actaully I KNOW he is a werewolf he told me in transfiguration, and I told him at least you get to turn into a wolf every month and not a troll or some other gross creature, he laughed." she smiled. "I knew you guys would understand but Im NEVER telling Haven or Lark. Argh, imagine how happy Haven would be to have aother reason to put me down." Lo said annoyed. "Well I suppose its all for the best that we know. I mean we have found out the answer to the riddle of the full moon." I said happily.  
  
"Lily, come to me" James Potter yelled tome from across ther lake, his refelctiopn was all I could see. "I can't its too far to swim!" I called back to him but the wind carried my voice away and I knew he hadn't heard me. "Come to me!" He told me agian. "I can't" I said, he heard me this time and snaped his fingers he jumped on a broom and soared acros the lake. Grabbing my hand I was pulled onto the broom with him and we flew away over the trees. "He is coming Lily." He said his voice serous and frightened. "Who is coming?" I asked feeling cold sweep over me. "Voldemort." James whisperd. "Take Harry and go." he said "I'll hold him off." he was saying these things that made no sense. "Who is Harry?" I said bewilderd. "Its happened he is here." He said and James swerved on the broom throwing us both to the ground. I woke up just as the ground rushing up towards me was about to be my final resting place. Shivering I wrapped my blankte tighter around me. The dream left me wiht a scary feeling and I personally liked my other James dreams a lot more.  
  
AN: ahh another chappy finished, in another day. I think its coming along well. Hre is another little tid bit on my insight to the nmes I've chosen :ACANTHA: means Sharp, pointed, thorned, and PRIMROSE means First rose! so you put it together its "Thorned first rose" hehe clever huh? anyways I know I have been updating a lot lately but I cant promise my next update will be son bc I have weekend plans so expect Chapter 5 sometimes around next Monday or Tuesday. I REALLY want to get this fic finished before august 26th (My frist day of school) bc If it isn't finished by then It wonot be finished til prolly mid to late November.READ AND REVIEW SO I WILL KNOW WHETHR OR NOT TO POST CHAPTERS-April 


	5. Happy Holidays

CHAPTER FIVE:THE HOLIDAYS  
  
The next week I was too busy to think much, or dream much. The end of the first term was approaching and that meant the teachers were hitting us hard with tests and homework and being a prefect I had to keep up my grades, damn grades. "Hey Lily how did you do on that transfiguration quiz without me?" Sirius asked brandishing his 100% paper in front of me. "I got a 100 too Black." I held my paper up to his. "Good job Evans, even if you only got 100 because I was your partner this term and helped you through it." He said grinning, "Your funny Sirius, good joke." I said as we headed into the Herbology, our afternoon class on Thursdays and our morning class Mondays. "Oh look its the Gryffindor gang, read the signs? The dark Lord is rising more every second we speak." Bellatrix called as we entered the green house, profesor sprout wasn't there yet, "Your a nutter, you know that? You really think that Voldemort will take over?" James said laughing. "Don't say the Dark Lords name with your unworthy mouth." Lestrange said taking out his wand. "I'll say VOLDEMORT whenever I please." James said angrily taking his own wand out. "VOLDEMORT" Sirius yelled. "VOLDEMORT!": Remus chorused his eyes ablaze with anger. "VOLDDIE-MORT" Peter said unaware he had misprounceded it and earning sneers from the Slytherins. "Experillamus!" Snape yelled disarming Peter, who was flung backewards and knocked over a tray of dragon manuaure, which landed on his head. The Slytherins were beside themselves laughing and before James and Sirius could avenge their poor smelly friend Professor Sprout enterd and gave Peter detention (Making the slytherins laugh even harder) and making him clean up the green house.  
  
"They are gonna pay, especially Snivellus." Sirius fumed as he walked Peter into the boys bathroom James and Remus following. "They are wretched people, huh?" Lark said glancing at Lestrenge, Avery, Nott, Black and Snape who were walking behind us. "They are hideous, evil people." Haven agreed dramatically. "What comes around goes around, they will get what they deserve." Bernadette said grabbing Lo's robes as she tried to sneak off and curse them. "Yeah they will get it, and Ill give it to them." Lo tried the turn around but Bernadette and I were keeping her in check. "Let James and Sirius take care of it, Peter is there friend." I reminded her keeping a firm grip on her arm and he struggling agaisnt us lessened. "True enough, never really liked Pettigrew anyway, it was just so mean..." Lo said weakly. "You girls mad at us for hurting Pettigrew? Which one of you are dating him?" Bellatrix sneered. We ignored her but had to take hold of Lo agian. "I bet its Evans, she is a mudblood, she can't do any better." Bellatrix said, as James and co. came our of the bathroom, Peter still had a bit of the dragon dung in his hair but I thought it best not to mention that, "Awwww here is the mudblood's boyfriend now." "Snivellus" Snape said laughing and in an instant James had performed a conjering charm and dragon manuaure was now dumped all over Snape, in large portions, "You smell ever worse then Peter" Sirius said laugh and conjered conjured even more but this time laughnched his fresh conjured digusting heap, into snapes already dirty face. I couldn't help but laugh, as we walked away into the entrance hall. "Nice one." I said grinnig at James and Sirius. "Snape probabley smells better than usaul now." Sirius said thoughtfully.  
  
"I'm migh'y proud of ya!" Hagrid boomed. Lo, Bernadette and I had gone down to visit Hagrid just as James and Sirius had began their tale about how they got back at Snape for what he did to Peter. Remus and Peter spent the whole time laughing while James and Sirius tok turns explaining thre story. Lo was sitting next to Remus...or she was really more ON him reather than next to him. "You boys did good! You girls think it was funny?" he asked us. I nodded and Lo said. "Hell yeah!" Remus laugh and kissed her on the cheek. "Yer all righ' Lo." Hagrid chuckled. "So Hagird no any other really good ways to get revenge?" James asked conjuring a note pad and quill. "I thought yeh already got revenge?" He said confused. "Oh we have only just begun....We are still getting him back for other things too." Sirius said conjuring up his own parpchment and writing utensil. "Well there was this time, I saw this prank with me very own eyes. It was quite a riot!" He smiled and then added quickly, "but I don't agree with it." "What happen Hargid?" I asked leaning foward to be sure I didn't miss a word of the prank. "Well it really is a horrilbe thing ter do, even ter yeh wors' enemy...." He trailed off looking a bit unsure of whether he wanted to tell James and Sirius. "OH come on Hagird its SNAPE." Sirius pleaded. "Oh all righ'. Yeh know how yeh wear them robes? Well if yeh flip him upside down, his robes will fall over his head, yeh see? It is the bes' way ter humilate someone That I know of." Hagird smiled. "But don't do it unless he does somethin ter really deserve it, I'd say wait a bit after the Peter's humilation, that way people will on'y have one event ter talk bout." Hagird went on to describe the incantaion to hang soemone upside down. Sirius and Jmes were scirbbling Hagrid's pearls of wisdom down, quick as they could but I felt a pang of pity for Snape, horrilbe and mean as he was did anyone really deserve that? Well maybe Bellatrix.... "I love it Hagrid your a genious!" James said. "I could kiss you!" Sirius laughed as they all stood ready to head back up to the castle. "Bye Hagrid!" Everyone called as we pulled our scarfs tighter. Tiny snowflakes flutterd down to the grounds from the cloudy sky. "I don't think you should do that." I said "I would be pissed if they didn't! Imagine the look on old Snivlley's face." Lo laughing at the thought. "Yeah Evans! Come on its the greatest way to get the git back for eveything." James said studying the notes he made during their discussion with Hagrid. "Its perfect." Sirius said looking as though all his dreams came true. "You guys are so petty! What about forgive and forget!" I asked. "Your so naive! If Snivellus had this idea he would use it on us in a second, forgiving and forgetting makes you an easy target for creeps like Snivellus!" Sirius said. I didn't see any point in continueing the argument, it wasn't worth it my time, they wouldn't listen to me anyway. Stupid prats.  
  
"Be kind to your fine featherd friends! For a duck maybe somebodys mother! be kind to your fine featherds freinds for a dick maybe somebodys brother!"  
  
"JAMES SHUT UP! ITS THE DAY BEFORE TERM ENDS SING CHRISTMAS CAROLS IF YOU MUST SING!" I said angrily as he ran up to me and Bernadette in hogsmeade, it was the last day before the holidays and our it was a slightly snowy day in the village of Hogsmeade. Lo and Remus were enjoying the day together, Peter was serving detention, Haven and Justin were having their date and Lark had gone home a day early, so it was just me and Bernadette now accompained by James and Sirius. "Oh sure! Now you want me to sing christmas carols!" James said in mock outrage. "Snivellus the red nosed death eater!" Sirius burst into song to the tune of "Rudolph the red nosed reindeer" as Snape, Bellatrix and their friends walked by, they stopped dead, slowly facing Sirius and James who sang in unison. "Had a very large greasy nose! (Like a frying pan with bacon grease!) and if you ever saw it (Poor you!) Your might even say it glowed (Like a shiney greasy thingy, ew!) All of the other death eaters, used to laugh and call him names (Like a slimball!) they wouldn't let poor Snivelly, join in any death eater games! (Like torturing innocent people, a favorite of Bella) Then one foggy Christmas eve Voldie came to say, Snivelly with your nose so large wont you peak out someones eyes today! Then how the death eaters loved him (Yippee!) Snivelly the large greasy nosed death eater you will go down in history! (Like your boss Voldie!) and James and Sirius doubled over laughing harder than I have ever seen them laugh before. And Snape stood rooted on the spot white with rage. Bellatrix flushed. "OOH I will torture people all right and you boys will be the first!" she said glaring and ran at them her shiey, dark hair billowing behind her. "Impedimenta!" James yelled quickley his laughter subsiding, "Protego!" she roared just in time, jumping on her cousin hands around his neck. "Your gonna choke me Bella?" he said and staring at her cousin with indiscriable loathing, she began to squeeze as he spit in her eye, he took the extra moment of time to scream "Stupefy!" knocked her to the ground. James leaned over her, and mutterd "Ennervate." and he and Sirius walked away each grabbing our wrists and dragging us along before Bellatrix recoverd fully. "They would hurt you two if they got he chance." James warned as Sirius yelled "Dippento!" over his shoulder splitting the bag of newly bought goods Snape had been carrying, on the snowy ground. "Opps, sorry Snivelly!" Sirius called back as they walked into the three broomstcks. "We will be safe in here to many people to try and curse us." James said sitting at and empty table, and the rest of us sat with him. I couldn't help but worry that even if we had comeoff the better end this time, next time might be differnt. "I'll go get the butterbeers." Sirius said walking over to Madam Rosmereta. "Did you and Sirius write that snivellus the greasy nosed death eater song in your spare time?" I asked. "Yep, just last night actaully, before we went to bed, we rehearsed it a few times too. Too bad Remus and Peter weren't here to sing it to Snivelly with us, we taught it to them, after we wrote it." "Great way to spend an entire night!" I said shocked. "It didnt take longer than an hour to memorize it, write it, rehearse it and teache it to Moony and Wormtail." "Moony?" I asked confused "Wormtail?" Bernadette asked. "Peter and Remus, its just nicknames." James said brushing away the topic as Sirius handed us each a flask of butterbeer. "Cheers!" James said clinking his glass on each of ours. "Cheers." we all echoed taking a long sip. "So are you two ladies, staying for christmas?" Sirius asked taking a gulp of his butterbeer. "Yeah, this is will be my first time staying over break. I have to stay over because my parents are going on their honeymoon reunion." I explained. "And I'm staying to keep her company..... and because after what happened to Bernard I can't stand being in my house. I can see Ben and Bethem over summer break." Bernadette said. "Hang on! The kids in your family were Bernard, Bethem, Ben and Bernadette?" Sirius asked. "Um, yeah. And my parents are Bernadine and Benedict....They like names that begin with "B" Bernadette explained. "Oh. Well me and James will be around during the holidays too!" Sirius said giving James a brotherly punch in the arm.  
  
"Yeah Ol' Sirius can't stand his family, I mean imagine him eating Christmas dinner with Bellatrix and her sisters." James said laughing "Andromeda is nice, its just Bellatrix and Narcissa. And the entire family loves them and praises them for being put in Slytherin." Sirius made a face. "And so I'm staying at Hogwarts over the christmas holidays to keep Sirius company. "Mind eating christmas dinner with us?" Bernadette asked smiling. "No because we can throw food at you guys when no one is looking, I don't want to think of what would happen in my family if I threw food at Bella..." he trialed off shuddering. "I never meet Narcissa or Andromeda, what are they like? Like Bellatrix?" I asked sipping my butterbeer. "Oh no, no one is as bad as Bella. She is horrible. Andromeda is the middle child, she just graudated when we were in third year. She was in Gryffindor with us, really sweet, she is still my favorite cousin. Narcissa graudated a year before we started school. She is a little like Bellatrix, hates muggle-borns, hates Gryffindors and Dumbledorr, but she isn't as openly cruel. She never just cursed people and laugehd at people for the fun of it. She is engaged to a Malfoy though, thats just sick." Sirius explained. James and Bernadette's lips curled. I didn't know what "A Malfoy" was so I didn't give a reaction. "Malfoys..." Bernadette let out a type of growl. "What is a Malfoy?" I asked. "A Malfoy is someone from the unfamous, rish, snobbish, Slytherin, pure- blood family. There are a whole line of them. Hadden Malfoy is the father of Lucius and Lucius is marrying Narcissa. Malfoys aren't good people." Sirius said. "Oh. Well then why is Narcissa Marrying him?" I was confused, why would anyone marry a Malfoy? They sounded dreadful.  
  
"Because he is rich and a pureblood." James said. "And because my family isn't good either." Sirus shook his head ruefully. "Its okay Padfoott." James said "Don'tmake me hex you with a cheering charm!" James prodded him with his wand. Sirius gave a weak smile. "Well family reputations don't mean anything anyways." Bernadette assured Sirius "Yeah, you and Potter have golden family reputations as brave 'Heros and Gryffindors." Sirius reminded her. "It doesn't matter." Bernadette insisted and I could tell she really believed it. "If you say so." Sirius said grinning and rolling his eyes. "Come on we got presents to buy!" I said downing the last sip of my butterbeer and dragging up Bernadette. "Yeah so do we." James stood up too, putting on his jacket. "See you around Potter, and Black." I said and as soon as we opened the doors and stepped out from the pub. "Well we have a LOT of presents to buy Lily!" Bernadette said excited as the two of us went to Dervish and Banges so Bernadette could buy Bethem and Ben sneakascopes. Then we went to honeydukes and zonkos, where we bought most of our gifts. The rest of the day flew buy and we returned to the gyffindor common room later that night, cold and wet but in good spirits. "OH what a day!" Haven exclaimed giggling. "Justin and you had a great time I take it?" I said sitting cross legged on the floor my Christmas gifts hidden saftly under my bed. Bernadette plopped down beside me and Lo and Remus weren't back yet. "Oh we had the best time! We stood under mistle toe, and walked through the snow hand-in-hand and he snuck away to buy me a gift! I wonder what it is!" Haven said grinning. "Uh, right." Bernadete said yawning. "So I want you to know Bernadette, that if you like Sirius, then take him because I im in love with Justn Wood! He is just cute, and funny and charming." she sighed. "Yes and we are very happy for you!" I said sweetly, figuring I might as well get in the Christms spirit. "Oh Lily!" Haven flung her arms around me and I hugged her back, sometimes I forget why I am Haven's friend, these are the times when I remember. "I'll miss you soooo much over the holidays! I'm leaving first thing in the morning!" she said letting go of me. "Haven we will miss you too!" I promised. "I left your gifts with a house elf, she agreed to leave them at the foot of your bed christmas day, Lark did the same." Haven said to us. "We put your gifts in your trunk, no peaking until Christmas." I raised my eyebrows. "Okay, Okay fine." she said and gave us one more big hug and we climbed the stair case and got a well deserved good night sleep.  
  
When we woke up the next morning Haven had already gone home, as had most of the other Gyrffindors. I was happy to know that Lo and Remus had both stayed over the holidays too as had Peter. The first week leading up to Christmas was suprisingly quiet we hardly ever saw James, Sirius and the rest of their little gang and Lo didn't even freak out to bad when Remus dispaered for a day, to um "see his sick mother". Christmas Day came quicker than I had been expecting and I woke up to hear Bernadette singing"Snivellus the red nosed death eater". as she tore away the paper covering her presents. "Oh! Presents!" I said jumping up and staring happily at the pile at the foot of my bed. "Presents?" Lo asked, sitting up sleepily. "Lily your the best!" Bernadette said holding up the "Gryffindor Lions" scarf I knitted for her. "No problem Bernadette." I replied as I tore away the paper on my first gift from Hagird, it was a pound of Honeydukes finest chocolate. My mum had sent me a new outfit, very cute. Dad sent me a gold necklace. Petunia sent me a toothpick...."great". The next package contianted a best friend ring, from Bernadette. "Thanks Bernadette!" I said showing her the hand with my new ring. She grinned and went back to her gifts. Lo had bought me a book of curses "Every Curse You Might Ever need, how to turn hair green through how to make feet dance." I laughed and Lo smiled, she had watched me open it. Haven had bought me a suger spun quill from honeydukes and Lark had gotten me "ice Mice; Hear your teeth chatter and squeak" I was suprised to see more presents, who else would have boughten me anything? I opened the next parcel and it was from my grandmother, an apple pie. I picked up the next three. Bernadette's sister Bethem had bought me a fake wand (Fool your friends with this new fake wand!) and her brother Ben had got me nail polish that changed colors whenever you poked your nails with your wand. I wasn't too suprised Bethem and Ben had sent me gifts, I did spend a lot of time at Bernadette's house over the summer. I thought maybe the last package was from her mom before, I removed the paper but It was a snitch. A SNITCH. A little golden glittery ball that I grabbed to keep it from zooming around the room. I shoved it in my trunk to prevent it from escaping. There wasn't a note but only one person would ever give me a snitch for Chirstmas- "POTTER!? Why did you give me snitch?" I asked as I bounded down the stairs to the common room. "I dunno. Like it?" he asked eating every flavor beans. I chose not to answer him and instead went back up to the girls dorm. I wasn't sure whether or not I was flatterd, but I knew he was expecting me to think "aww how wonderful! And he caught it all by himself!" and I was sooo not thinking that.  
  
The Christmas dinner was excellent. I sat next to Lo and Bernadette. Potter & friends sat across form us, and throwing bits of food at each other inbetween bites. "So Evans got a snitch for Christmas?" Remus said apprently not that impressed. "Yeah, I firgured she might like it." James said trying to catch my eye but I stared determindly at my turkey "Great romantic gift, James." Sirius said sarcastically, and he did catch my eye making me laugh. "Oh come on Evans, didn't you like it?" James asked. "Its okay." I said looking down to sip my pumpkin juice. "OH come on! I caught it all by myself!" James added. I almost choked on my pumpkin juice and I wasn't the only one, Sirius had snorted too. "Very good! Want a cookie?" I replied. "Yeah sure, go bake me one!" He said eagerly. I couldn't believe he thought I was serious. The rest of Christmas dinner went by smoothly. Lo and Remus keep holding hands under the table and James and Sirius held hands each time they did, causing Remus to blush and pull his hand away. That night I played chess with Bernadette in the common room until deciding I was too sleepy to stay up any longer and made my way back up to the dorm.  
  
"Happy Christmas!" I murmerd to my friends. "Merry Christmas Lily." They said sleepily in reply.  
  
"CHRISTMAS MURDERS" I read the headline in the dailey prophet and handed it to Lo who continued. "There have been many people reported missing on none other, than Christmas day. A total of tweleve muggles were killed, by avada kedavra althought muggle's were unsure of how they died, it is clear to witches and Wizards across the county. The Dark mark recently appeard over the home of the "Glassings" a half-blood family all members were killed Leo Glassing, Janet Glassing and their four year old daughter, Myrth Glassing. But thats not all, Ailda Nordstrom, a proffessor from Durmstrang academy who was visitng family here was found killed, the colossal skull of the death eaters looming above her. Hans Nordstrom her husband was unavaible for comment. Misty EllenWood a muggleborn witch working for the dailey prophet, Mark Bones, a young new auror, Jason Gray another new auror, Thomas Jones, another muggleborn who was in his third year as a hufflepuff in hogwarts. All of those listed have been discoverd ded, killed by Lord Voldemort the dark mark hovering above them. Frank and Alice Longbottom, who just graduated this year from Hogwarts and are in training to be aurors, have recently escaped Lord Voldemort. "It was the scareist thign I've seen in my life. His eyes were like a cats, but a bright buring red color, like pools of blood." Alice said in St. Mungos for te injuries sustained from her brief duel with "You-Know-who" Her husband said about his duel "He mas a mad man determined to kill us. He raised his wand and yelled the imperious curse, I suppose he was unware I am one of the few people who can fight it. I yelled the stunning hex and he blocked it, though now he was distracted I managed to dodge him as he yelled "Crucio" and attacked back with a patronus charm, though it did not affect him as it would a dementor it held him off logn enough for me to grab my wife and disapperate. I wont ever forget this Chistmas day." "Oh my god." Haven said looking faint. "I say we have to do something. See if we can join the order after our fifth year." Lo said rubbing her wand as though itching to take it out and kill the next death eater that crossed her path. "Oh hello I noticed you have the prophet and had to come over and see your faces." Bellatrix gloated. "Your sick, Voldemort is sick." Lo said shaking trying not to try and kill Bellatrix. "Sick as he may be he sure has killed a lot of people, he and his followers. A couple of them were mudbloods, how do you feel about that Hart and Evans?" she asked. "I feel like hurting you.," Haven said standing holding her wand. "OH please.!" Bellatrix laughed and walked away. "Be good!" she called over her shoulder. "Gods I hate her." Lo said pounding the table where we were eating breakfast. "Calm down Lo, its not the tables fault." I said "Yeah but I cant punch Voldemort can I?" she hissed "No." I admitted and slammed my fist on the table too.  
  
AN: my readers Like? yes? no?maybe? I had fun writing the Snivellus song hehe. Just wondering from my readers a few things I'm surer you woudln't mind reviewing and answering your devoted authors questions. Do my readers want Bernadette & Sirius to hook up durring my story? Who is your favorite character? Mine has to to be Sirius. Thanks please answer my quesitons READ & REVIEW!!! IF I GET REVIEWS i WILL POST THE NEXT CHAPTER- April 


	6. Valentine Warnings

CHAPTER 6:VALENTINE WARNINGS  
  
January was mostly a blur of homework. Essays such as "Describe in detail the effects of a calming draught" or "Re-tell in your own words what happened in the great gaint war of 1118" Naturally, with OWLs approaching I spent most of my time with books or hunched over parchment. My quill was quickly becoming a best friend. But as January melted into Febuary, though the teachers had not relaxed their amount of assigned homework, I was starting to get used to it. Valentines day swept over the castle in a haze of pink decorations and giggling girls. Even I was somewhat excited I was wondering if anyone other then James might send me a Valentine's card. The great hall had red and pink streamers hung this way and that way. Hearts with little wings flutterd about the ceiling as I sat down next to Lo and Bernadette for breakfast that Saturday, Febuary 14th. I would remember that day for a long time.  
  
I helped myself to the heart shaped pancakes and had just finished adding liberal amounts of butter and syrup when I heard Bernadette squeal "Hey look owls! Whoa tons of them!" she giggled as a large owl dropped a black envelope in front of her, A differnt owl dropped a pink envelope in front of me but I slipped it in my pocket curios to know who was sending Bernadette a Valentine, maybe it was Sirius?! She tore open the seal and all color drained from her face. I looked around the great hall several people were as pale as Bernadette. The writing was a rusty shade of red and it looked as though it had been written with blood, I had the horrible feeling that it was, my stomache churned and I pushed my uneated pancakes away. She began to read softly aloud:  
  
"Shadow Family Beware  
  
We shall kill your every heir  
  
We will laugh as you cry  
  
We will laugh when we watch you die  
  
You will beg for mercy, do not pretend to be brave  
  
You will rest alone, in an unmarked grave  
  
Your corpse will be left, cold, rotten  
  
Your bones will be scatted, old, forgotten  
  
Do not think we jest  
  
For we do not  
  
And if you wish not to die like Bernard  
  
Then let the deah eaters be your guard  
  
You join us, you will be spared  
  
From dieing the horrible death we have prepared."  
  
Her voice seemed to have been lost, her eye brimming with tears her face turning and odd green shade as a photograph of her brother, his lifeless body, his blank eyes and the dark mark above him, glittering evily against the sky. Bernadette's head hit the hard stone floor with a thud, as did many around her. People ran screaming and crying from the great hall. Black envelopes lay litterd almost everywhere. "She got one too?" asked James helping me lift Bernadette to the hospital wing.  
  
"I'll get her Lily." Sirius helped James and James handed me his letter with shakey hands.  
  
"Potters, we wish you ill  
  
For it is you we wish to kill  
  
So breath your last few breaths  
  
As we wait for your deaths  
  
Today may be the last time you eat  
  
Maybe the last time you use your feet  
  
Maybe the last time you cry  
  
Because tomorrow you may die  
  
Unless you turn to our side  
  
By our laws you must abide  
  
So join us if you will  
  
If not, we wish you ill"  
I finished reading his letter and started at him with horrifed eyes. "Peter got one too, Sirius didn't he is a Black" James explained.  
  
"And Voldemort LIKES the Black Family." Sirius said with resentment as he lay Bernadette on a bed in the hospital wing.  
  
"These, these letters were only sent to pureblood familys not connected with the dark arts?" I asked.  
  
"Yes Mudblood, but your time will come." Lestrange said as he and Bellatrix walked hand-in- hand down the corrider.  
  
"What are these letters for? Threats? Scare tactics?" I asked angrily.  
  
"Oh no they aren't threats...well yes they are but they are better described as WARNINGS" Bellatrix said waving her wand so the word "Warning" shined in slittering green letters and then faded away as she and Lestrnage headed down the hall.  
  
"I c-cant-" the ground was so close to me now, it was rushing towards me. I shut my eyes and knew no more, nor did I want to know anymore. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Evans?" James's voiced sounded so far away. Where was I, what ws I doing here? Then it all came back to me in a wave as I tried to sit up on the hospital floor. Lo, Haven, Lark, Remus, Sirius, Peter and James were crowded around me.  
  
"Your okay?" Lo asked helping me up.  
  
"Yeah, Y-yes I'm fine." I stammerd nervously.  
  
"Why did you faint? You didn't get a letter?" James asked almost coldy.  
  
"No I didn't get a letter, but I saw a photgraph of Bernadette's dead brother, I saw my best friend "warned", I was called a mudblood, but even if none of that had just happened to me I still have the right to faint!" I yelled without meaning to raise my voice.  
  
"Sorry okay? Im scared too." James said quickley and turned scarlet. Did I hear him right? Him scared? No. He was detachted, aloof, an excellent seeker, brave, arrogent, funny, he was James Potter he wasn't scared of a letter, a warning a threat. But It was considerable more than just a scare tactic, it was a promise and I knew it, and he knew it and everyone knew it because Voldemort and his followers dd not waste time with pranks or empty threats. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I spent the day in the hospital wing holding Bernadette's hand and hushing her when she began to cry. It was one of the worst, most painful days I had ever lived through. Bernard's dead body kept floating back to me. And when Madam Pomfrey pushed me out of the hospital wing that night and my feet carried me in front of the fat lady's portriat I was in a stupor. I felt nothing, and everything at the same time, I was mostly just numb. "Polyjuice." I said to the fat lady in a voice that didn't sound like my voice. It had to be somebody else walking in my body, speaking with my lips, seeing the world through my eyes. The common room was far from cheerful. Dried tears were visable on almost every grim face. "Hey Lily!" Lo jumped up she had left Bernadette about and hour before I had. "Is she doing all right?" Lo asked anxiously. "No." I said my voice hollow. "Are you?" she asked concerned engulfing my in a hug. "No." I said wraping my arms around her without feeling. "Me neither." she whipserd as we pulled apart, tears were on her face she never cried. I felt a pang of sadness and empathy for Bernadette, I felt a wave of helplessness almost knock me off my feet and I felt scared, a sensation in my stomache, consuming me, fear penetrating every lim on my body. I wasn't numb anymore, but this wasn't any better. "I can't lose my best friend." I said to Lo staring at the ring Bernadette had given me for christmas. "You wont lose her." Lo said in an unconvincing voice. "She is so scared..." I whisperd my voice hoarse. "So is everyone else." Lo said "Try and cheer up, the more you think about it the more it hurts." Lo advised as she sat down with Remus. "And how am I supposed to cheer up?" I asked myself aloud. "Have you taken a look at your card? I promise there isn't a poem about how I am going to kill you." James said as he and Sirius sat down next to me. "No, I haven't seen it yet." I sniffed. "Wel you should see it! I sent it! If I sent myself a card I'd open it right away!" he said smiling now. "Did you send your self a valentines day card?" I asked. "Only a couple and a box of chocolates!" he joked I rolled my eyes. "This might shock you Potter but you need to know, The world does NOT revolve around you." "Well that would explain why James has been doing so badly in astronomy." Sirius said suddenly thoughtful. "OH no! It doesn't revolve around me? Say it isn't so Sirius!Say it isn't so! Hold me!" James pleaded. "Your such a git James honestly." I said teasingly. "Well are you going to open the card or not?" James nagged "Oh fine I'll open it" I pulled the pink enevelope out of my robes pocket, I had forgotten about it all day. I tore open the seal and a bright red card with pink loopy leters that said "Lily Evans if you don't go out with me I will turn your hair green, lock you in a closet (Like we did to Remus) and sing christmas carols! So please go out with me? please!!! James Potter." I laughed, for the first time that day and it felt like being alive agian. I hugged James. "Thank you sooo much!" I said grinning. "Wanna go out with me?" he asked happily. "Nope." I said still hugging him. he laughed "I will NEVER understand women."  
  
And so when I went upstairs eager to crawl into my bed and forget what was by far the worst Valentines day ever. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Are you scared?" James asked his arm around my shoulders as we sat together on what appeared to be a cloud. "Of what?" I asked him "Anything? I'll protect you." He asked coming closer to me, his face was almost touching mine. I didn't bother answering him, of course I was afriad of somethings, who wasn't? But I didn't need to think anymore because he kissed me again and it was as though we had never been seperate from each other the way he caressed my cheek and held me. But this time some part of me knew that even before waking I was dreaming because this kiss was a dream kiss, to soft and sweet to be real, to beautiful to exist in reality. "I love you." James said and I woke up, woke up to harsh cold valentines day in the darkness of my dorm beside Bernadette's empty bed. I feel back into a dreamless, Jamesless sleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Why am I having the dreams? He is supposed to be the one crazy for me!" I complained to Lo the next day as we went down to the hospital wing to see Bernadette. "Oh get over it Lily, you want him too and you know it." She said rolling her eyes. "I do not!" I protested blushing. "hmmmm mmmm suuuuure, thats why you have dreams about falling inlove with him and kissing him?" She said grinning. "Oh shut it Lo." I said grinning back. "Oh shut it Lo, Im Lily Potter, prefect, perfect inlove with the best damn seeker ever and I look damn sexy with green hair." Lo said trying to imitate me. If she wasn't a best friend I would have cursed her. Instead I laughed and it felt so relieving to laugh, just as great as it had felt when James made me laugh last night, although it wasnt quite as fun as the dream..... "Hey you guys!" Bernadette called to us from her bed as we enterd the hospital wing. She had an enormous slab of chocolate in front of her, which she was munching on. "How are you?" I asked knealing beside her and Lo sat on the edge of the bed, helping herself to some chocolate. "I'm better." Bernadette said she even smiled...rather weakly. "Good. You gotta try and forget because scaring the shit outta you is exactly what they were trying to do! Warnings my house elf's ass, its a scare tactic!" Lo said dramatically, taking a large bite of chocolate. Bernadette laughed. "You don't have a house elf!" she said to Lo, sniggering, "Thats not the point!" Lo said smiling a bit herself. "Where are Haven and Lark?" Bernadette looked slightly hurt that they didn't come to see her. "I dunno, who cares?" Lo said enjoying the chocolate. "They came to the hospital wing when you fainted, they both looked real anxious." I said shotting a glare at Lo, she wasn't being very sympathetic. Lo rolled her eyes. "Oh, well they could have come to see me." Bernadette pouted. "Come on Bernadette don't worry about it. Haven looks, like my non- existant house elves ass." Lo said grinning making Bernadette and I laugh so much Madam Pomfrey warned us we wold have to leave if we kept making noise. "So when are you getting out of here?" Lo asked "Tonight after I eat dinner in here. Therer are about a dozen other people who fainted yesterday too, beacuse of the warnings." She said shuddering. "Don't think about that." I said gently putting my hand on her shoulder. "Everything will be okay." Lo insisted "If you say so." Bernadette sighed. "OUT You have been in here for ten minutes OUT!" Madam Pomfrey shooed us from the hospital wing. "Hey Evans!" James yelled running up to me. "Hey Potter." I greeted. "Ravenclaw verses Gryffindor this afternoon!" he reminded me with a wink, "I think you know who is gonna win." He gloated swelling with pride. I had forgetten all about the upcoming match, it wasn't on my mind after what happened with Bernadette. "I'll be watching." I said to him, hoping he would go brag to someone else, someone who cared maybe. "See ya!" He said and walked away. "Look at him strutting around like he owns the place." sneered Severus Snape. "He isn't strutting, he is walking snivelly." Lo said cooly dropping her voice so only I could hear "His nose is bigger then my non-existant house- elves ass" so giggling we walked (Or myabe he thought we were strutting) away from a very annoyed Snape. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The wheather was slightly rainy, and very cloudy as I walked with Lo out onto the quiddich feild. James was standing huddled near the locker rooms with his team mates. "Who do you reckon will win?" Lo asked nibbling on some of the chocolate she had smuggled from Bernadette's bedside table. "Gryffindor." I said staring at my expertly done scarlet and gold nails. We made our way up to the staduim on the Gryffindor end. "Go lions!" Lyle Jordan yelled as the well known Gryffindor team walked, already somewhat wet, onto the feild. "Go eagles!" He yelled with much less excitment as the ravenclaws faced there oppients and the captians shook hands. "And the game has begun!" Lyle yelled. It was a fast match, fourty five minutes into the game Gyrffindor won by 180 to 20. James had made a spectaular dive to retrive the snitch and I saw him pocket it after he held it high into the air. "Hey Evans!" He called to me "Yes Potter?" I asked turning to see him, begin carried on the shoulders of a mob of cheering Gryffindors. "Did you see my catch? That was something huh? Am I good or what?" he said smugly. I couldn't belive that arrogent toerag (Authors Note: I have no idea what toerag means but Lily called Jamed that in Order of the Pheonix teehee) was bragging to me again about catching some stupid ball for some stupid game, he pulled the snitch from his pocket and released it and caught it earning applause, espacially from Peter who was looking at James adoringly. Why would a nice quiet boy like Peter befriend James Potter? "HI Peter" I said, successfully distracting him from watching James. "Oh, uh Hi Lily...Or Evans, um what do you perfer to be called?" he asked in his usualy squeaky voice, I noticed he didn't meet my eyes and he blushed, maybe he wasn't used to girls talking to him.. "You can call me whatever you like." I said pleseantly, I really didn't care for him too much but I wasn't going to be rude, actaully I was going out of my way to be polite. "Okay, Lily." he said smiling and went back to watching James raptly with his watery little eyes. "Yeah the world was just zooming all around me, but I kept my focus on the snitch!" James went on opening his palm and recapturing the snitch, yet agian. Does he expect me to be impressed? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Will you shut up about your capture of the damn snitch now?" Sirius asked in a casual voice the following weeked. "You had all well to gloat." He added. "If it bothers you." James agreed, Peter looked disapointed at not getting a chance to hear it for the millionth time. "You must have heard it fifty times already."Sirius said voicing my thoughts as he and his friends left the common room that night a silvery cloak hidden under James's robes. "Where are they going?" I asked. "I dunno, maybe to visit Remus before he..um..changes." Lo said uncomfortably, it was the full moon night. "Yeah, I guess so." I agreed and returned to reading about cheering charms, I was reviwing note for the upcoming OWLS. "Lily, the only night we haven't had homework for three months and you spend it studying." Lo said shaking her head. "I want to do good on the -" "OWLs" she finished for me and continued playing gobstones with Bernadette. "Hey check this out!" I said watching the whomping willow, suddenly stop moving and a long stick being thrown aside it seemed as though a door of some sort opened under tree and invisable people crept inside....But no...James, Sirius and Peter wouldn't go beneath the whomping willow! why would they? Confused but too overwhelmd with cheering charms to think about the matter I pushed it to the back of my mind. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AN: Im working more on making the format easier to read sorry I didn't focus more on that this time, and I'm sorry I updated later with this chapter than usual but you see the thing of it is that I had to re-write the entire thing because when I first wrote it, it left off at a place to hard to continue and it was too choppy, so I had to write it, edit it and then decide it wasn't good enough and re-do the process. I have been thinking a bit about the expected story length and have assumed that it will be between 17-35 chapters depending on the number of reviews I receive, because reviews really are the best medicine for writers block, and it also depends on how the story unfolds. sorry to have kept you waiting. READ & REVIEW SO I WILL POST MORE CHAPTERS-April 


	7. The Future

CHAPTER 7: THE FUTURE  
  
Mudbloods we wont maste much time  
  
With warning you with silly rymes  
  
All you need to know is your deaths shall bring us cheer  
  
We shall kill you all for fun, we will see you in the future, near.  
  
The message was the same to every muggle born in the school one cloudly March day. The writing once agian seemed to be in blood. It made me sick with dread, but I had no time to dwell on "Silly rymes" as even their writers had called them. Career advice was now being administerd to fifth year students and I was busying myself with pamplets on various available wizarding jobs. Some seemed quite intriging such as being an auror (A sort of dark wizard catcher.) or being a healer (Muggles refer to them as doctors), others sound awful, for example training security trolls and working with muggles. James was immursed in a brochur "So you want to be a quiddich player for England?" but I had also spotted him considering an auror Sirius wouldn't even think about anything besides an auror, Remus seemed vaugly interested in teaching, Lo was determined to single handedly kill Lord Voldemort, be an auror AND marry Remus. Bernadette insisted she didn't know but she looked interested in working in the Wizengamot, wizard court. I arrived at my appointment to discuss my future with Professor McGonagall. She was sitting at her desk when I enterd her office and motioned for me to take the seat oppisite her. "Good afternoon Ms. Evans" she said pleasently.  
  
"Good afternoon." I responded.  
  
"So what careers intrest you?" she folded her hands, and looked at me politley curios.  
  
"I was thinking well, maybe and auror, or a healer and I know I would need top grades for both, which not be be unmodest, but I do believe I have very good grades. I was wondering which do you think I would excell at?" I said.  
  
"Well, you are certainly dedicated enough to undergo to challging tests and training that both feilds require. I think the ultimate decision is up to you but my advice would be to become an auror. It is not a career that I would suggest to many, but for you Ms. Evans I think you shall be one of the best, and in dark times the ministry needs the best." she said handing me extra information.  
  
"Thank you Professor." I said grinning, I would perfer auror to healing anyway.  
  
"Your most Welcome." she replied and smiled as I exited the room, hardly beliveing I had recieved praise from such a strict teacher.  
  
"Lily!" Lo and Bernadette ambushed me as I exited McGonagall's office,  
  
"So what is it gonna be?" Bernadette asked.  
  
"Auror!" I exclaimed excited. Lo "Whooped!" and Bernadette beamed.  
  
"Auror? You too?" James ran up to them with Sirius.  
  
"So are me and Padfoot." James said proudly.  
  
"So are me and Lo!" I said still grinning.  
  
"What about Shadow?" Sirius asked.  
  
"I'm going to try and be a member of the wizards court.' Bernadette grinned,  
  
"Well, this group of law enforcers is so gonna get rid of Voldie." Lo said happily.  
  
"Voldie?" sneered a voice from the shadows.  
  
"Yeah thats right, your mate Voldie Kins." Lo said to Bellatrix who had a disdainful smile playing around her face, she was backed up by her usual, Nott, Lestrange, Avery and Snape.  
  
"You mock him with your unworthy halfblood tounge?" Bellatrix said still smiling.  
  
"Yeah thats right we do." James interjected.  
  
"Oh and the blood traitor thinks he has the right to insult the Dark Lord? Lestrange seethed.  
  
" So does this blood traitor." Sirius added glaring at his cousin and her friends.  
  
"Oh Sirius, what your mother would say, what Regulus would say, what your father and even your house elf would do if they heard you now. Why you'd be blasted of the family tree." Bellatrix said, a look of false concern on her face.  
  
"I don't care what my family thinks." Sirius said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Oh but you do care, and its not YOUR family, dear cousin, it is OUR family." she said.  
  
"I shall make a point in alerting OUR family that were found in the company of a mudblood, disgusting thing she is." Bellatrix said glancing at me.  
  
"Silencio." I murmed clamly depriving Bellatrix of her voice. She mouthed curse words at us before diapearing agian. Lo, Bernadette and I gave Sirius odd looks.  
  
"Regulus?" I asked.  
  
"Blasted off the family tree?" Bernadette said.  
  
"House elf?" piped Lo.  
  
"Regulus is my brother, and much better son, my mother so kindly tells me and everyone else she has ever known. The family tree is a carpet hanging on a wall in the drawing room, being blasted off it would mean I am disowned. Yes, I have a house elf, an awful, hideous creature...named Kreacher, he hates me." Sirius said in a would be causal voice.  
  
"Well were hungrey were gonna go steal food from the kitchen." James said in a fake cheery voice.  
  
"Bye" Sirius called rather moodily.  
  
"Cool, he has a house elf." Lo said as we walked away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I HATE divination." Lo complained, trying to interprate the continuesly swirling fog in her crystal ball.  
  
"I hate it more." Bernadette said miserably staring bored into her own crystal.  
  
"Its not that bad, I mean we aren't really working." I reminded them glancing into the gilttering white mist, it dazziling, beautiful really. But somewhere in the depths of white something black appeared. I leaned foward anxiouxsly.  
  
"What is it?" Lo asked hurridly leaning towards my crystal too.  
  
"Its...." but I fell silent as I squinted and shut the divination class room out, the shape was no longer a shapless blob, but an emerald skull. It was the dark mark, then the image changed. A baby was crying, his forehead sliced open and blood was steadily dripping to the floor as were his tears. A women who was unmistably dead lay next to him, but I couldn't see who she was. A man, who was both handsome and frightened with a look of confusion and agony etched on his face, was staring at a destroyed house, a stout chubby screaming man was yelling at the handsome one on street full of people, a loud bang struck the crowded road like a bomb explosion and then...dead...people dead, the handsome man laughed. The handsome man now was gaunt, emaciated, with long unkept matted hair, he was grinning insanley, guarded by tall black figures in cloaks. A grave yard formed to replace the man, and amoung the graves and dying trees death eaters jeered a boy whose face surronded by darkness. He was being totured he was yelling, screaming, why was no one helping him? The boy's forhead was suddenly illuminated by moonlight to reveal a lightening shaped scar..he was an older version of the baby. The scene changed one last time to a women yelling triumphantly, a tattered veil was swaying innocently, the boy who had the scar was yelling agian being restrained from opening the veil by a shabby wizard. The boy's face was contored in misery, pain beyond anything most ever know. The veil was still swinging as though a gentel breeze was blowing it. Then the image faded and the mist was white agian. I shook my head, trying to forget the visions.  
  
"Lily?" I heard my name and turned to the divination teacher,  
  
"What did you see?" she asked carefully. There was no way I was going to reveal to the entire class what I had just seen.  
  
"J-just the dark mark." I lied.  
  
"For that long?" she questioned doubtfully. I didn't know how long I had been staring into the crystal so I just nodded.  
  
"Ye-yes." I said shaking slightly. That crying baby, that boy being tortured and screaming at the veil....why did I feel such a strong connection to him? That handsome man who had been so wasted by those tall cloaked demons, who was he? Whose house was it who was the dead women? What was the veil? who screamed in victory has the veil swished? What was the short stubby wizard yelling about on the street? Why had I seen those things? I had never shown any apitutde for divination before, why? and with my head exploding with questions I looked absentmidy back at my crystal ball, nothing else appreared in it.  
  
"What on earth did you see? You give me any bullshit about only seeing the dark mark I'll slip you veritserum!" Lo threatened as we walked down to the common room after divination.  
  
"I saw a baby crying, his forehead cut a women dead beside him, a handosme man, a ruined house, a wizard screaming at the handsome man an explosion,dead bodies everywhere, the handsome man, no longer handsome but surronded by evil, cloaked thingys, I saw a boy being tortured, death eaters laughing at him in a grave yard, a women laughing and yelling at a veil, a boy, the tortured boy, trying to get to the veil while an older man holds him back..oh and I saw the dark mark first." I said watching their faces glow terrified.  
  
"T-The tall black c-clocked..I mean cloaked figures..." Bernadette shuddered "Would most likley be the dementors, the guardians o-of the wizard pr-pr-prison Azkaban." Bernadette was so frightened she was visabley shaking.  
  
"The men and the boy you saw what did they look like?" Lo asked anxiously.  
  
"I couldn't see any othem...the baby, the boy..he..I just remember an odd shaped, lightening bolt slit on his forehead, and all I remember about the men is that one was handsome one was fat and one was shabby." I explained not really wanting to discuss it any further.  
  
"Well clearly the visions h-have everything to do with Lord V-Voldemort." Bernadette said thoughtfully, still stammering.  
  
"How can you tell?" Lo asked.  
  
"Because she saw the symbol of him before anything else, right Lily?" Bernadette said thinking.  
  
"True." I answered as we sat down in the common room.  
  
"So what does the rest mean?" Lo asked annoyed.  
  
"I guess we will have to wait and find out." Bernadette answered, finally able to speak agian.  
  
"Dementors..." I said thinking outloud.  
  
"They are more terrible than you can imagine." Bernadette said "They suck happiness from you, you relive the worst moments of your life when they are around you." she continued. "They give you a kiss if they can...a kiss that will suck your soul out of you, and leave you living as a shell...empty devoid of any though or feeling. I've met one before, right after Bernard died the ministry came over with a dementor guard and aurors to try and find his killer. I learned all about them then." she explained.  
  
"All wizarding families hear about them, they are twisted evil and souless." Lo said frowning.  
  
"Are you guys talking about Snivellus and Bellatrix behind their backs? Because twisted, evil and souless...well Snivelly and Bella do come to mind." Sirius said cheerfully.  
  
"How is our little seer?" James teased.  
  
"Fine." I said sharpley. "And Im NOT a seer." I glowerd at him.  
  
"Okay, sorry Evans." he said nonplussed. He rumpeled his hair and walked away.  
  
"See ya ladies." Sirius said following him.  
  
"Are they ever serious?" Lo asked.  
  
"James is during quiddich, he has to be or he wouldn't have anything to boast about." I said grinning.  
  
"Fair point." Lo agreed.  
  
"Well I'm going up to bed." I said deciding to get some sleep and finish my homework another night.  
  
"Your funeral, trying to do McGonagall's and Sprout's essay tommorrow.  
  
"Yeah, Yeah." I said dismisivley walking up to the dorms and threw myself down on the bed falling asleep, not for a long time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Your in my way." James said irritably as a first year was walking slowly in front of him on the way to Transfiguration next Thursday. "Tarantanguala" he hissed and the boy began dancing, and imediatly danced of out James's way. Sneering he and Sirius enterd professor McGonagall's class.  
  
"Finte incantem!" I said and the boy stopped dancing.  
  
"Potter! Why did you just hex that boy?" I yelled angrily,  
  
"He was in my way." James said indigantly.  
  
"You too arrogent for your own good Potter." I said furios at him and walked to my seat next to Sirius.  
  
"Hey come on Evans, have a sense of humor." Sirius insisted.  
  
"Shut up Black and hold the iguana while I vanish it." I said coldly.  
  
"Your know your really not that much fun after all. I was starting to think you were cool, oh well." he said shrugging. I narrowed my eyes.  
  
"I am not going to laugh because you made some first year dance, when he got in your way, thats mean and embarassing!" I said hardly believing Sirius was so insensitive.  
  
"You don't have to laugh Evans, but you do have to be more layed back." He cracked sretched out his fingers and yawned before holding up the iguana.  
  
"I am layed back! It's just not fair that someone who didn't even do anything to you or James should deserve that." I said angrily, still.  
  
"Deserve what? Your overreacting. All James did was make the little bloke dance!" Sirius said lazily.  
  
"Your don't even care that you might have hurt his feelings?" I asked "If I hurts his feelings then he must be an overemotional, future prefect named Lily, because you are the only person I know to care about things like this." he said rolling his eyes.  
  
"I AM NOT OVEREMOTIONAL!" I yelled, louder then I meant, resulting in half the class staring at me and laughing, and Professor McGonagall giving me a dirty look.  
  
"Thats right Evans, because people who aren't over emotional tend to have sudden out bursts in the middle of transfiguration class." Sirius said sarcastically. "Oh shut up Black." I said grinning at him, he grinned back.  
  
"I knew you would get over it, now come on lizard's don't usually vanish themseleves..."he said impatiently  
  
"Wish you would vanish yourself." I mutterd grinning at him, gods he was handsome, like that man in my vision....But, that was impossible.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The weeks leading up to the OWL's, the last week of April and the first week of May semed to disolve as though that had never happened. It was simply weeks of studying, so much studying I thought my head might explode. Even James and Sirius had been sighted pouring over notes from time to time in the common room. And the weekened before the first OWL, Charms, dawned upon us.  
  
"I can't wait until these next two and a half weeks are OVER!"Bernadette said after failing at doing the banishing charm correctly.  
  
"Oh no, I just love tests!" Lo said sarcastically after failing to do the silcencing charm correctly.  
  
"Ha! I can do the color changing charm!" I as smiled the book I had been practicing on turned from black to pink.  
  
"Yay." Lo mumbled half heartedly.  
  
"Hey Lo, isn't your sister coming to hogwarts next year?" Bernadette asked setting aside her wand, most likely looking for an excuse to stop practicing banishing her hat.  
  
"Oh yeah! Callisto is coming next year. Why?" Lo asked, she too abanding her still squeaking mouse.  
  
"Just wondering, think she will be in Gryffindor with us?"Bernadette asked.  
  
"I hope so." Lo said reaching into her bag and showing us her sister picture. She grinned at her sister's smiling and winking face affectionatly and set the moving photograph on the table, and began trying to memorize the incantation for the levitating spell.  
  
"Wing-gar-duim. Lev-i-o-sa." she sounded out.  
  
"What about your sister Patricia, is she evrr coming to hogwarts?" Bernadette asked me.  
  
"Her name is Petunia, and nope she is already 17 and doesn't have a drop of magical blood in her veins. Plently of jealousy though. She keeps calling me a freak, or she wont talk to me. She wanted to be a witch too I reckon." I said practicing the wand movement used to summon an object.  
  
"Ahh well jealousy is human nature, she'll grow out of it." Bernadette assured finally reisgned to resume studying.  
  
"I need to practice the color changing charm! Evans come here I need your hair for a sec!" James called.  
  
"I think she could do with a cheering charm...Overemtional, she is" Sirius added grinning at me. I rolled my eyes and went back to practicing my summoning charm.  
  
"Ahh the highly useful summoning charm!" James said watching me.  
  
"Accio hair tier!" he yelled and Lo's pony tail holder flew out of her hair and magically into James's hand.  
  
"Accio hat!" he called and Bernadette's hat which she had been unable to banish, finally flew away from her and into James Potter's waiting hands.  
  
"Accio prefect badge!" James called and my shiney badge unhinged itself my from my robes and landed on Bernadette's hat. I glared at James who winked in return,  
  
"Potter go away." Lo said crossing the room taking back her elastic, my badge, and Bernadette's hat.  
  
"Awww." James said frowning and sat down in a chair and began amazing, the easily amazed with catching his snitch. God he was so annoying...annoying in a loveable way...But I didn't just think that beacause James Potter is NOT loveable....but a little sarcastic voice echoed in the back of my head "Suuuure James isn't loveable and your not overemtional" I had been hanging out with Sirius waaaaaaaay too much if I was thinking things like that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I don't like James" I said aloud as I got into bed that night.  
  
"Thats the spirit." Lo said sleepily from the bed next to mine.  
  
"Of course you don't like James he is such a prat! Remember how he turned my hair green?" Lark called from the other side of the rom.  
  
"He turned my hair white!" Lo hissed.  
  
"He isn't as cute as Justin!" Haven said dreamily.  
  
"He stole my hat!" Bernadette interjected. And I felt the urge to defend him, I slaped myself mentally.  
  
"And he never stops with that stupid snitch! And he is always messing up his already messy hair." I added determined not to like him, determined to hate him...but why? I honestly don't know why....He really was too full of himself though...He really was so funny and cute though....I hate mixed feelings, and so I fell asleep thinking about James, which was much, much better then falling sleep contemplating strange prophecies in crystal balls, which had slipped my mind until something triggerd when I was almost asleep. The boy in the vision had the same messy black hair as James....but it wasn't James because the boy had the same scar as the baby, and James had no such scar...I began to wonder if I hadn't imagined all I witnessed in divination class that day...but it seemed like such a real prediction... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I do." I said to James, his face smiling his messy hair still untidy and sticking out in odd places.  
  
"I do." James repeated softly as a congrigation cheered he pulled me in and kissed me sliding his hand into mine.  
  
"Were married now?" I asked uncertainly.  
  
"Yes, your mine to have and to hold, through better through worse, through richer, through poorer forever, Lily Potter, I love you." James said his hazel eyes penetrating my green ones.  
  
"I love you too." I said breathlessly.  
  
"Forever?" He implored his face looked anxious for a moment.  
  
"Forever." I agreed. His lips closing around mine agian, I felt a leaping sensation in my stomach and thought 'This is how it feels to be inlove.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AN: So, how are my readers? Like the story? yes? no? maybe? I did my best to fix the format, tell me if this is easier to read. There is one more chapter for year five, yeps year five is written in chapters 1-8. Chapter 9 will depict the summer, and then I will start wrting about *Drum roll* year six! The sixth year at hogwarts for Lily and James will have some interesting things such as murder plots, dementors, sexual tension and eveything included in year five...interested? I was also thinking that after this story is finished sometime in August-November, that I might start a fic about Sirius, or Bellatrix or Ginny. Would any of my readers be interested in reading stories about any of them? Well I'll let you review now. READ & REVIEW, REVIEWS WILL MAKE ME POST THE NEXT CHAPTER- April 


	8. Snape's worst memory, snitches & Goodbye...

CHAPTER 8: SNAPE'S WORST MEMORY, SNITCHES AND GOOD-BYES  
  
And so OWL's swooped upon us. Charms was fairly easy, more so than I had thought in any case. Lo was complaing about accidently popping the balloon she was supposed to banish, I was wondering if they might take points of for summoning the wrong object, but Bernadette was the most worried about missing the frog she should have been silencing and hitting her examiner. After charms we had astronomy, my worst subject. Then we moved on to divination on Wendsday I was postitive I did well on he written part and I pretended to be seeing the baby agian, with the sliced head and the dead women beside him, I think It went well. Thursday I had care of magial creatures which Peter Pettigrew spent in the hospital wing because five minutes into the exam he was attacked by a bowtuckle. Care of Magical creatures went very well for me execpt for the niffle trying to steal my silver ring. Friday we had Herbology which Lo swore she failed miserably and nobody doubted it seeing as a mandrake knocked her uncouncious for the entire day. By the weekened even though most people would like to relax we still had Transfiguration, Defense agianst the dark arts, and for some people anceint runes. Our defense exam was taken on Monday, we did the pracitcal in the morning and I easily got and E if not an O. The written test was slightly harder I felt a pang of sympathy for Remus when answering question ten which was about how to identify a werewolf. After defense Lo, Haven, Lark, Bernadette and me went out to enjoy a bit of the warm summer air. I figured I could study transfiguration that night If I had too. We headed to the lake and removed our shoes to dip our feet in the cool water, an escape from the summer heat.  
  
"Hey, whats the crowd for? The best not be forming a mosh pit without me." Lo said standing as we all put out shoes back on.  
  
"Hey its Potter, Black and Snape!" Bernadette informed as Lo picked her up so she could see over the heads of the crowd. James glanced at us and grinned at Snape who was alone from his friends and splayed on the ground, his wand laying several feet away from him. I jumped up running towards the crowd, towards James. Snape had let out a sting of curses and swears and James glared at him raised his wand.  
  
"Wash your mouth. Scourgify" He said and soap bubbles emitted from Snape's mouth, choking him.  
  
"Leave him alone!" I yelled to James who turned around and his voice changing slightly, becoming much more pleseant, more mature. He was smirking in a suprised way, he was acting as though I was supposed to be impressed at him ganging up in Snape when none of his cronies were around.  
  
"All right Evans?" he asked  
  
"Leave him alone! What has he done to you?" I asked looking at him with distaste, he was just as arrogent and mean as I had thought.  
  
"Well" he began thoughtfully. "Its really more the fact that he EXISTs if you know what I mean." he said and servel onlookers laughed.  
  
"You think your funny." I said an icy note in my voice. "But your just an arrogent bullying toerag Potter. Leave him ALONE."  
  
"I will if you go out with me, Evans! Go on...Go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old snivelly agian." He replied smoothly. Behind him Snape was inching towards his wand but I didn't pay attention.  
  
"I wouldn't go out with you if it were a choice between you and the giant squid!" I said fiercly.  
  
"Bad luck Prongs." Sirius said looking anxioulsy at Snape who grabbed his wand. James raised his own but not quickley enough. There was a flash of light and a gash formed on James's cheek blood splatterd on his robes and n the ground. "Oh my gods!" I whisperd, but no one heard me because James counter attacked by flipping Snape upside down, just as Hagrid had suggested. His robes fell over his head and his pale skinny body and a pair of graying underpants were revealed to the jeering crowd. I fought to keep my face straight and it wasn't easy. I wanted to laugh so badly I even felt my mouth twitch as though I were about to smile.  
  
"Let him down." I said my voice notably less cold.  
  
"Certainly!" James agreed with a smile and Snape fell to the ground trying to detangle himself from his robes. He managed to get to his feet, wand raised when Sirius bellowed.  
  
"Locmotor mortis!" and Snape keeled.  
  
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I yelled Sirius and James, furious once agian at the pair of them. I grabbed my own wand and raised it so it was in clear veiw to Potter.  
  
"Ah Evans don't make me hex you!" He implored.  
  
"Take the curse off him, then!" I snapped still clutching my wand. James sighed deeply and reluctantly mutterd the counter curse.  
  
"There you go. Your lucky Evans was here, Snivellus." James said snidly.  
  
"I don't need help from a filthy mudblood like her!" Snape yelled. I felt like someone had just punched my stomache, I had helped him and what did he do? insult me! He was a Slytherin and a friend of Bellatrix...What had I expected? I blinked my eyes to rid my face of emotion.  
  
"Fine. I wont bother in the future. And I wash my pants if I were you, Snivellus." I said coolly.  
  
"Apologize to Evans!" James yelled to Snape, his wand poised to attack.  
  
"I dont want you to make him apologize! Your just as bad as he is!" I shouted at James who looked deeply offended.  
  
"WHAT? I'D NEVER call you a- a you-know-what!" he said shocked  
  
"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool like you've just gotten off your broomstick, showing off wiht that stupid snitch, walking down corriders hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can-I'm suprised your broomstick can get off the ground with your fat head on it! You make me SICK!" I yelled in anger and frustration looking at him as though seeing him for the first time. I tried not to remember the dreams, the snitch for christmas, the day in the three broomsticks, the valentine, I blinked back tears as I stomped away.  
  
"Evans! hey EVANS!" he called to me, btu just like the night when he had been kissing Acanatha in the common room I didn't even glance back. I heard him talking to Sirius and I was just about back in the castle when I heard the jeering and laughing grow louder and Bernadette, Havem Lark and LO came running up to me Lark looked as though she might throw up, Haven was blushing and Lo was laughing hysterically. Bernadette looked shocked and giggily.  
  
"He took off Snape's pants." Bernadette said and tears of laughter flowed down Lo's cheeks.  
  
"He isn't a very big boy..." Haven said making Lo double up and lean agaisnt the wall for support.  
  
"I hate James." I said but I couldn't help smiling, Snape didn't deserve that bt he did call me a mubblood the greasy basterd.  
  
"Lets go inside and try and study for transfiguration." I suggested chortling a bit as we made our way to the Gryffindor commmon room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Come on Lily!" Lark nagged grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the dorm.  
  
"You can't miss the final quiddich game!" Bernadette said incredously.  
  
"Why not?" I scoweled, allowing my friends to usher me down to the quiddich feild.  
  
"We have it after OWL's this year because McGonagall wanted to give the Gryffindors more time to train. Justin told me" Haven said no no one in particular.  
  
"Um...I have to go because Wood told you its after OWL's?" I asked confused. Lo snickered and rolled her eyes.  
  
"No, you have to go because its Gryffindor verses Slytherin for the cup and I don't care whats going on with you can James, your going to watch this match and your going to support Gryffindor." Lo stated indiffernt to my feeble excuses for forgetting my scarf and not feeling well.  
  
"You feel perfectly fine and its June, why the hell do you need a scarf?" he asked dismissevly.  
  
"Fine." I groaned taking my seat in the stands. James scanned the many rows of Gyrfifndors above him and when he spotted me he smile and met my eye. I didn't return the grin instead I kinda've half shurgged and pretened to be interested in my nails. Lyle began announcing the players and I began wondering how many OWL"s I got.  
  
"AND THEY'RE OFF! Primrose with the quaffle! Nice pass to Nixie Olive who doges a bulger oo blocked by Roe, Cooper, from Slytherin, grabs the quaffle he is cut off by a nice bludger from the Gyrffindro beaters. OH AND THAT IS A FOUL!" Lyle roared as the Slytherin beater Devlin Welford zoomed over to James and Kicked him.  
  
"Nixie Olive takes the fouls shots and yes!!! she gets it past the keep Lestrange!! Gryffindor Ten, Slytherin 0!" Lyle announced and that was how the game began. I watched James for a bit, he looked strained as the score was now Gryffindor 170 and Slytherin 150. If he failed to get the snitch, and Charles Flint got it instead, Slytherin would win. Alexander Johnson managed to put another goal between the teams but it was still only 30 points apart. Flint began zooming across the feild towards Alexander Johnson and Devlin Welford who were near the Slytherin goal posts. Devlin spotted a bludger and pelted it towards James who swerved out of the way clutching his broom and flying foward, grabbing his broom with one hand and his other stretched out for the snitch. Flint reached fowards from behind James and hit him in the head sending his glasses slightly askew. James kept his focus and grabbed the snicth just as Devlin Welford his him in the back of the head with his bat. The look of triumph on James's face didn't change but he fell twently feet backwards and hit the ground with a thud. The noises in the staduim varied from screams of anxiety for James, shouts of Victory for the win for Gryffindor, heckling from the Slytherins and roars of angrey Gryffindors who all look as though they would like nothing better than to kill Devlin Welford who looked very nervous, indeed. Professor McGonagall conjured a stretcher and brought James into the castle, the rest of the quiddich team was smiling and crying as they held up there new quiddich cup for the school to see. Sirius, Remus and Peter had already set off for the castle and Lo had jumped up to follow.  
  
"YOU HAVE TO COME ALL OF YOU HE COULD BE DEAD!' she screamed and I followed dashing down the corridersd until we finally reached the hosiptal wing. I ambled in clutching a stich in my side and trying to catch my breath. James ficked his eyes opena nd blinked as though dazed.  
  
"He should be fine." Madam Pomfrey reassured us and Professor McGonagall, who looked very shaken.  
  
"Oh, very well then. I shall need to collect the quiddich cup. Boys, girls do make sure James is all right." McGonagall said as she went back to the feild. James stared up at us all with a disoriented look on his face  
  
"Did I get it?" he asked urgently.  
  
"Get what?" Remus said soothingly.  
  
"The snitch! Did we win?" he sat up and winced a bit.  
  
"Yeah Gryffindor won!" Sirius said grinning and slapped James in the back, which juding by the way James's flinched and yelped, wasn't a good idea.  
  
"Fell of a broom? Hit in the head with a bat? What is this school coming too?" raged madam Pomfrey as she removed James's quiddich robes and shirt and began applying cream to the large bruises on his back and ribs and the growing lump on the back of his head.  
  
"You should be fine now dear just rest up a bit." She said to James before returning to her other patients.  
  
"Why did you all come here?" James asked rumpeling his hair which was completely unnessary seeing as it was already extremely untidy.  
  
"To see if you were alive or dead." Lo said bluntly.  
  
"Oh...thanks I think." he grinned and then looked at me.  
  
"You care if I'm alive Evans? Thought I was conceited?" he said smugly.  
  
"Of course I care if your alive." I blushed and he grinned again and opened his hand to reveal the snitch. His palm was bleeding from holding it to tight.  
  
"Didn't even realize I was had it." He said suprised and cleaned the blood from it with his wand before handing it to me.  
  
"A gift from me to you, the quiddich cup winning snitch." He opened my hand and placed the glittering gold ball into my hand before taking my fingers and his own and closing them around my newest snitch.  
  
"I already have a snitch, the one you gave me for Christmas." I reminded him.  
  
"Now you have two, start a collection." He said smiling lightheartedly.  
  
"Maybe I will." I said with a grin.  
  
"Wanna go ot with me?" he asked.  
  
"Er...sorry Potter not this year." I said awkwardly.  
  
"Its almost time to began another year." he said offhandedly.  
  
"Well meet the next year when it comes." I felt the snitch's little wings beating agaisnt my hand.  
  
"Anyways come on Lily lets go inform the rets of the world that Potter is okay." Bernadette suggested and lead Lo, Lark Haven and I from the infirmary.  
  
"I can't wait to go congratulate Justin." Haven said happily and ran ahead of us towards the fat lady.  
  
"You and James are so going to get married one day, gods your lucky." Lark said enviously.  
  
"We are ot going to get married." I protested,  
  
"Oh give it up Lily, your madly inlove with him and you know it." Lo teased.  
  
"I am not madly inlove with anyone!" I said loudly.  
  
"Yeah and your not overemotional." Lo mutterd sarcastically. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The week leading up to the final day of my fifth year went by quickly. I put my newest snitch with my old one, in a velvet satchle I keep jewelery in. Disheartened as I was for the school year to end and to leave the beautiful castle, that was my home, I was also happy that soon I would be able to see my parents agian. The last day of fifth year had clear, warm wheather. I spent most of the afternoon packing my trunk before going to the end-of-term feast. The hall was decorated in red and gold to celebrate Gryffindor winning the house cup. "Hey Lily, over here!" Lark beckoned as I sat down across from her and next to Bernadette  
  
and Lo. "Welcome to the feast! Another year has pass us by! May you go home tomorrow with good hopes! And as the next year will soon be upon us I ask you all to stand by your friends and settle disagreements with your enemies because dark times are dawning upon us and I look to you all, the future of the wizarding world, to show us your inner strength and stay true to yourself! With that said, let us eat! Tuck in!" Dumbledorr finished his speech and the plates filled with food. " Encouraging speech." Lo said admirably helping her self to steak.  
  
"Well spoken." Remus agreed as he sat next to her.  
  
"I'm going to miss you over the summer." Lo said to her boyfriend and the two of them became disolved in their own conversation.  
  
"Send me loads of owls!" I said to Bernadette Haven and Lark.  
  
"Of course we will!" Bernadette promised.  
  
"Justin said he would send me and owl twice a week...poor boy just can't be without me!" Haven bragged twiling her blonde hair on her finger.  
  
"If he can't be without you then why is he over with his friends right now, and not you?" Lo interjected.  
  
"Oh shut up and shag Remus." Haven snapped and Lo laughed.  
  
"I think she offerd a reasonable suggestion..." Remus joked and Lo stuck her tounge out at Haven who rolled her eyes in return.  
  
"So Evans, gonna send me any owls over the summer?" James asked as he, Peter and Sirius came over to sit near Remus.  
  
"I don't have an owl to send to anyone Potter." I said briskly.  
  
"Oh thats okay, I'll send you owls." he winked at me.  
  
"James has his own Owl named Godric!" Peter piped grinning.  
  
"And Sirius has one named Gryffindor." Remus said smiling.  
  
"So when you puit them together its "Godric Gryffindor!" Peter exclaimed as though that were the most excitng thing in the world.  
  
"Isn't it clever?" Sirius asked beaming.  
  
"Its genious." Bernadette said sarcastically. The conversation turned ro quiddich as we ate our way through dinner and dessert.  
  
"To bed!" Dumbledoor said smiling warmly to his students who all dragged them selves off their benches feeling very comfortable and sleepy. "Nighty night." Sirius said yawning widley as he Peter, Remus and James walked up the boys staircase. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The day was warm and sunny as we boarded the Hogwarts express.  
  
"Do you have to go with the prefects agian?" Lo asked sulkily.  
  
"No, I'm all yours this time." I replied grinning and her sulky expression vanished as she returned my grin.  
  
"Ugh Lily your boyfriend better not annoy us on the train trip." Haven said haughtily as we climed into a compartment. "I don't have a boyfriend." I replied calmly.  
  
"James! Uh duh." she said  
  
"He isn't my boyfriend! I don't even know if we're friends!" I yelled angrily.  
  
"He is obviously crazy about you." Bernadette reminded me smiling.  
  
"He is obviously an arse." I reminded her.  
  
"He is cute though." Lark said frowning, probabley remembering how he humilated her.  
  
"Hello! Potter cute? ugh. Now Justin is cute." Haven grinned stupidly  
  
"Oh shut up Haven." Lo said yawning. Pouting, Haven turned and looked out the window. The ride passed smoothly littered with conversations about quiddich, clothes WNN (Wireless wizarding network) the cutest boys (Haven said Justin, Lark said James, Bernadette blushed and said Sirius, Lo said Remus I got out of it by pretending I dropped something outside the compartment) and of course about what a git Bellatrix Black and her friends are. It wasn't until the trip was almost over was our quiet train ride interupted.  
  
"Well, well,well its the Gryffindor girls." Bellatrix smirked as she slid open the compartment door.  
  
"Well, well, well its the slytherin bitch." Lo repiled smiling.  
  
"Watch your mouth." Bellatrix warned waving her wand.  
  
"You think your so bad ass, but your not." Lo stood up her fingers twiriling her own wand. Bellatrix raised the hand that wasn't holding her wand and for a second I thought she was going to hit Lo, but instead she snapped her fingers. Snape, Nott and Avery all appeared behind Bellatrix, with there own wands raised. Bernadette and I jumped up, Lark tried to sink back into her seat and become invisable and Haven took out her wand eyeing Bellatrix with great distaste.  
  
"You don't think I'm bad, love?" Bellatrix asked her voice danerously sweet.  
  
"I think you wish you were bad, because it makes you feel specail of powerful or something." Lo hissed.  
  
"Locmoter Mor-" but even before she had finisished the incantion Lo had yelled "Protego" and Bellatrix changed her target at we watched horrifed at Lark keeled over, ridged and slumped to the floor, but even before we could counterjinx Lestrange roared the same spell James had put on the first year and the slytherins laughed delighted as Haven was forced to do a kinda of jig in the middle of the compartment.  
  
"Finite incantem." I said waving my wand, Lark struggled back to her seat and Haven stopped dancing immediatly.  
  
"Oh the mudblood knows how to play." Bellatrix sneered.  
  
"So do the blood traitors, get lost." Sirius said his wand agaisnt Bellatrix's back and her cronies back into a wall by James, Peter and Remus.  
  
"Fine we'll go." Bellatrix grunted and snapped her fingers again as she and her friends left.  
  
"Thanks Black." I said smiling warmly at Sirius. "No problem mouse partner." He replied while unwrapping a chocolate frog he had in his pocket.  
  
"Well, it looks like we're here." James said as the train slowed to a stop inside the station.  
  
"Everyone send me owls." I instructed as I began pulling my trunk towards the exit.  
  
"Evans?" James said blushing a bit.  
  
"Yes, Potter?" I asked turning to face him.  
  
"Can I have a hug?" He asked sheepishly.  
  
"Um...I guess so." I agreed wrapping my arms around his neck as her out his on my waist,  
  
"Don't forget about me Evans." He said still not realsing me from the hug.  
  
"How can I forget you?" I asked frowning slightly.  
  
"You couldn't I am the best damn seeker Gryffindor as seen in a good many years." He bragged and I pulled away glowering at him.  
  
"Lighten up Evans." He said grinning and kissed me swiftly on the cheek before leaving the compartment.  
  
"He isn't your boyfriend?" Haven asked rolling her eyes.  
  
"No, he isn't!" I shot at her. slightly annoyed that I was secretly pleased by the kiss.  
  
"Come on you guys, your family's await." Bernadette said helping me carry my trunk out of the train and on a trolly.  
  
"I'll see ya guys." I called to my friends as we exchanged hugs.  
  
"Good-bye Lily!" they all said, Bernadette had tears in her eyes.  
  
"I'll miss you." she sniffed.  
  
"I'll miss you too." I smiled at her and turned around to see my mom, dad and sulky sister and felt a strange desire to go back on the train with my friends, a strange desire to never leave the magical world. Reluctantly and absentmindly rubbing my cheek where I had been kissed, I crossed the train station to my family. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AN: Okay James & Lily are not going out just to make sure you know, the kiss was just James's way of expressing how much he was gonna miss her. James & Lily dont go out til 7th yr. Sirius says so in book5, but don't worry they will hook up soon enough. So what did ya think about this chapter? Good? Bad? well the next chappy is all about Lily's summer.READ & REVIEW IF YA WANT ME TO POST NEW CHAPTERS-April 


	9. The Order of the Pheonix

IMPORTANT NOTICE: READERS PLS READ! I am in need of a beta-reader. I love writing but have trouble with grammer, comma's & quotations especially. I am hoping to continue posting my stories on fanfiction.net but also on Fictionalley. However my grammer is not up to par, and so I am asking my faithful readers to please beta-read for me! You will get to read the story first, you will get to make suggestions and help you devoted author make this story better. If you want to beta-read for my Lily & James story review and say that you want to and leave ur e-mail and I will get back to you about it very soon! If I get more than one volunteer than I have no problem having two beta-readers & I have started a Bellatrix story which I wont start posting until I get a beta-reader for it. My Bella story wont interfere with this one both fanfictions will be updated regulary but if you want to Beta-read for my Bella story too or if you onyl want to beta- read for that story make sure you say so in your review, Enjoy the chapter- April  
  
CHAPTER NINE: THE ORDER OF THE PHEONIX "Oh Lily! We are so proud of you!" My mom exclaimed as we climbed in the car to drive home.  
  
"Its so wonderful to have a witch in the family." My father said appreciatively.  
  
"Yeah, its great to have a freak running around." Petunia murmured so only I could hear.  
  
"So tell us everything, Lily! What happened in school this year?" dad asked .  
  
"Well there is this Lord Voldemort who has been killing people all year." I blurted out. To my astonishment my mom and dad laughed.  
  
"Good one honey. Now what REALLY happened this year?" My dad asked still chuckling.  
  
"Oh, not much." I said forcing a smile.  
  
"You should invite one of your friends over sometime, Lo or Bernadette, you always speak fondly of them." My mother suggested.  
  
"Good idea mum, they should be sending me owls soon." I replied staring out the window.  
  
"Owls carrying mail...the wizarding world certainly is fascinating." My father said more to himself then anyone else.  
  
"Yeah, the wizarding world is amazing." I said thinking about James. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Supper that night was a dull affair. Petunia kept sending me dirty looks. She was a year older than me and would be starting her final year at her high school in the fall when I would be beginning my sixth year at Hogwarts. After refusing a second helping of banana bread and vanilla ice cream I excused my myself the kitchen and bounded up stairs to my room. To my surprise Petunia followed me.  
  
"Lily?" she asked and for once her face wasn't narrowed with dislike, but scrunched up in confusion.  
  
"Yeah?" I asked motioning for her to come sit on my bed.  
  
"Were you serious...about...about that Lord Voldemort?" Petunia asked looking a little pale.  
  
"Yes, I was serious but I don't need to warn mum and dad, they have enough on their plate." I said.  
  
"Would this Lord Voldemort ever want to kill you?" she questioned looking worried.  
  
"When I become an auror." I said a faint note of pride in my voice.  
  
"A what?" she said perplexed.  
  
"A dark wizard catcher." I explained smiling and continued "That's what I'm going to be after school."  
  
"Lily, isn't that dangerous?" she asked seriously.  
  
"Yes, but, its worth it if I catch a death eater." and seeing her looking completely confused again I added "They are Lord Voldemort's followers...they do a lot of his dirty work."  
  
"Well, just be careful all right?" she said briskly and stood up.  
  
"I will." I responded softly as she shut the door. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Okay Lily, Petunia doesn't want her boyfriend to know about your wonderful gift, so no magic talk at the table, all right dear?" mother asked me as she set the table for the dinner when Petunia's boyfriend would be meeting the family.  
  
"All right mum." I said lighting the candles.  
  
"Why don't you just use magic?" Petunia snapped as I failed at lighting the match.  
  
"Why don't you? Oh that's right you aren't magical..." I retorted annoyed. She stalked out of the room and I stared after her shaking my head. Blonde with pale blue eyes and horse teeth we looked nothing alike.  
  
"Lily have you lit those candles yet?" Mum asked just as I successfully struck the match and added fire to each taper.  
  
"Yes mum." I replied sitting down at the table wearing one of my nicest dark green dresses. Petunia was dressed in lilac and was despreatly trying to do something special with her stringy blonde hair. I couldn't have cared less how I looked and was only in nice clothes to keep mum happy.  
  
"You look marvelous Petunia." My mother said offhandedly watching my sister frown at the mirror. Just then the door bell rang and Petunia jumped up so suddenly I thought she had sat on a pin. I heard muffled voices from the other room and then I saw Petunia's boyfriend.  
  
"Everyone, this is Vernon Dursley." Petunia said staring at him the same way Peter stares at James. Vernon Dursley was tall and beefy with very little neck and the beginnings of a mustache...not good looking...not in slightest.  
  
"Er...Its a pleasure." I said untruthfully. He responded in a curt nod and shook my fathers hand in a rather business like fashion and said "Good evening." To my mother.  
  
"Vernon wants to work for grunnings drill company when he graduates!" Petunia said approvingly as mum served the salad and Vernon discussed drills (The most boring topic in the world) with my father. When we finally began the main course it felt as though I had sat through eight full course meals...that is how dull Vernon Dursley was.  
  
"So Lily, what school do you attend?" Vernon asked me being awkwardly formal. I had absolutely no idea how to reply I sent a pleading look at my parents.  
  
"Eton." Mum said at once.  
  
"Oh really? Very good, very good." He said to me before turning back to my father to exchange racist jokes about Americans, Japanese, Polish, Irish and Germans while I picked lazily at my chicken wanting only to be excused.  
  
"I'll serve the coffee and dessert!" I offered after mother had cleared the dinner plates.  
  
"Thank you Lily!" mum said grinning as she sat down and eager for a reason to leave the table I went into the kitchen taking as much time as I could making coffee and slicing the carrot cake. I took everything out on a tray and sipped coffee and ate cake rather then join in the conversation, now about the uselessness of pets. 'Well look at the time. I must be going." Vernon finally said at half past nine.  
  
"Thank you Mr., and Mrs. Evans, Lily." he said nodding as Petunia walked him to the door and up snuck upstairs before they could ask me to do dishes. Vernon Dursley had to be the worst person I'd ever met and thats including Snape, Avery and Nott...maybe not Bellatrix. Feeling as though the entire night had been a complete waste of my time I sat on my bed putting on my pajamas and didn't even notice the owl standing on my desk until it hooted as I was about to turn the light off.  
  
"Hello Griffin." I said recognizing it at James's faithful owl. It hooted softly dropping a letter on my bed I opened it not sure what I should be expecting.  
  
-Dear Lily Evans- How has your summer been? Mine has been good. Sirius is here he says "Stop writing the letter to Lily, she already knows your obsessed with her.." opps that was to me not you, sorry. Anyway I wanted to write to you to see how your getting along without magic? Because you see I would rather eat bubtuber pus than live with muggles, but I'm sure its different for you since you love your family. Have you told them about Voldemort? My parents are worried to death about me being an auror. I was wondering if you thought about me at all? You know what a great seeker I am, how cute I am...anything? Anyway send your letter back to me with Griffin, I told him to peck you if your response wasn't long enough, just joking...half joking. anyway write back soon. -James Potter-  
  
Rolling my eyes at his letter I picked up a quill, dipped it hastily in the ink bottle and began writing,  
  
-Dear James Potter- My summer has been all right. Tell Sirius he is and idiot. Your an idiot too, no I haven't thought about how cute you or or what a great seeker you are. I miss magic, but I can do without it, its better than eating bubtuber pus. I told my parents about Voldemort and they laughed they thought I was joking. I think they found the name "Voldemort" funny more than anything else. My sister, Petunia she is 17, was worried though, she didn't laugh anyways. I just had dinner with my family and her boyfriend. His name is Vernon and he wants to work for a drill company, need I say more? I'm guessing this letter is long enough seeing as Griffin isn't pecking me. Best regards, -Lily Evans-  
  
I signed the letter and handed it to Griffin as I plopped into bed wondering about whether or not I liked James and whether or not It would be worth it to Kill Vernon just so I wouldn't have to listen to him whine about drills anymore. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tap, tap, tap...  
  
"Go away." I said groggily to whatever was tapping.  
  
Tap, tap, tap...  
  
"Leave me alone!" I murmured burying my face in the pillow.  
  
Tap, tap, tap.  
  
I looked up and saw an owl pecking at my closed window.  
  
"If your griffin, I'm killing James." I said yawning as I opened the window. The Owl that flew into my room wasn't Griffin, but a handsome dark brown owl with shiny feathers and amethyst eyes.  
  
"Hello, Beau." I said stroking the shadow family owl. He hooted softly stick out his leg. I pulled off the letter and sat on the bed glancing at the clock "3:04" thanks Bernadette, lets wake Lily up at three in the morning. I thought annoyed as I opened the letter.  
  
-Dear Lily- The Order of the Phoenix is accepting underage trainees. It is the secret organization fighting against who-know-who They need more members! I want you to join up with me, I've sent owls to you, Haven, Lark, Lo, James, Remus, Sirius and Peter. Send return owl right away, if your going to sign up you will be needing to come to my house ASAP! -Love from, Bernadette-  
  
I re-read the letter several times to make sure I understood it correctly. And then after reading it for the 11th time I felt a surge of emotion. Hatred to whoever had killed Bernard. Savage satisfaction that I could do something to help the good side. Excitement, nervousness, anxiousness, restlessness. I didn't want to be sitting here right now I wanted to be where the order was! Now! but I'd have to wait. I lay down on my bed eyes wide open and staring fixedly at the ceiling, I'd never be able to sleep tonight,or ever again! I could be a trainee! I wondered whether the rest of us would accept. I hoped so! I stood up and started pacing my muscles aching to rest but my mind racing faster than ever before. I could do something, I could play hero, risk my life, help the cause, catch a death eater! Oh I'd love to catch Snape or Bellatrix! All the things I could now do filled my head making it impossible to keep track of time and four hours until it was 7:00 flew by like 10 minutes and before I knew it it was 7:30 and I was fully dressed,packed and begging my mom to let me stay at Bernadette's I didn't explain why...she'd probably laugh again.  
  
"Of course you can stay at your friends house, tell them to pick you up whenever they can, Lily darling." Mother said smiling and flashing her huge grin I ran up the stairs and write back to Bernadette  
  
-I'm coming! Pick me up soon! SOON!!! Lily- I scrawled on the paper and handed my letter to Beau who hooted sweetly before flying into the clear blue summer sky.  
  
"What's going on?" Petunia asked suspiciously. I tossed her the letter. She read and looked at me, was she worried?  
  
"Be careful Lily." she said and then she walked out of my room. I didn't know whether to be happy she told me that or wonder if she wanted money or something. Either way I paced all day in my room until at long last Beau came soaring through my wide open window.  
  
"Thank you Beau!" I said happily and tore open the letter my heart pounding madly in my chest.  
  
-Lily, we will pick you up tomorrow, calm down. Everyone accepted and we will all be at my house getting our instructions in less than 24 hours. Get some sleep. Bernadette-  
  
I laughed. Sleep? Hahaha like I could sleep! I wrote a one word reply "Great!!!" and sent it off with Beau.  
  
I finally got to sleep at about 6 in the morning and when I stirred, opening my eyes yawning, sunlight was streaming in through my windows and my clock read 11:30. I never slept that late! But now that I was up I immediately dressed and double checked my packing, I was taking everything with me. I was finally going!  
  
"Good morning sleeping beauty!" My mother teased.  
  
"Your guests are here!" she added gesturing towards Mrs. Shadow and Bernadette standing by the fire place.  
  
"We are traveling by floo, Lily, You have done that before to get to ours and Lo's house right?" Mrs. Shadow asked smiling.  
  
"Yes, Mrs. Shadow." I said politely accepting the power she handed tome, and with a heave of my trunk and quick kissed to my parents and Petunia, I was standing in the Shadow family manor.  
  
"Lily!" Lo said throwing her arms around me.  
  
"Jeez, Lo calm down." I said grinning she rolled her eyes impatiently.  
  
"I'm happy to see you! and even happier to get a chance to kick death eater ass!" she said standing on the balls of her feet, she seemed even more excited then me. Haven and Lark hugged me next and James opened his arms wide for a hug an instead I gave one to Sirius to stuck his tounge out at James.  
  
"Welcome!" Mrs. Shadow said to us as she and Bernadette entered their foyer from the fireplace.  
  
"Welcome." said another voice, this one male. Albus Dumbledor was standing in the door way smiling, a twinkle in his light blue eyes. My stomach fluttered with undesirable excitement. THIS WAS IT! IWAS GOING TO JOIN THE SECRET ANIT-VOLDEMORT ORDER!!!!! YAY!!!! Those thoughts were screamed inside my head on the outside I held my breath waiting...  
  
"Come right this way." Dumbledor said leading us up a flight of lush carpeted stairs and into a tower room.  
  
"You all are invited to enter training to prepare you for work in the order after Hogwarts." Duimbledor said and a wide collection of witches and wizards stood behind him. I recognized two of them as the Longbottoms whom Voldemort had tried to attack on Christmas. Another was the famous Alastor Moody, his slightly scared face and beady black eyes were very intimidating, he was an auror, one of the best. Ben and Betham, Bernadette's siblings who gave me a cheery smile, Gideon and Fabian Prewett, who had just become aurors and many, many others I didn't know, and HAGRID! I caught his eye and he winked at me smiling.  
  
"Now being and order trainee, of sorts there are some tasks that require courage and a risk. You will not face the same dangerous you will come across if you decide to fully join the order after school, but it is dangerous all the same." Dumbledor explained.  
  
"You will all take a separate assignment!" Moody growled.  
  
"Yes, yes Alastor we will get to that in a moment." Dumbledor said quickly.  
  
"Here is your chance. Leave if you don't want to join." Dumbledor said firmly pointing to the door. No one moved and inch. We were all in this together.  
  
"Excellent." Dumbledor beamed at us.  
  
"Lily, your working with the Longbottoms. James, your working with Hagrid, so are you Sirius. Lo, your with Gideon and Fabian. Haven, you will work with Emmaline Vance. Lark your with Deladus Diggle. Remus, and Peter your will be working with the Bones and Bernadette will be working with Alastor." Bernadette looked slightly perturbed by this. I tried my best to keep my face straight.  
  
"Your guides will lead you into a seperate room and you will receive your instructions and training." Dumbledor said and vanished with a sharp CRACK.  
  
"Well, your Lily aren't you?" Mr. Longbottom said smiling.  
  
"Yes, that's me." I replied following them into a side room and sat on one of the comfy armchairs arranged by the fire. Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom sat down on either side of me.  
  
"We are only three years older than you Lily, we know how you must feel. We were the same way when we became trainees right before our seventh year. Don't be nervous now" Alice assured me smiling.  
  
"We are going to teach you a bit about magic. Occulmency (SP?), and how to block and stun and very crucial. We are in auror training as well so we can teach you some things we learn from that." Frank explained.  
  
"You don't have any missions yet, just lessons. Can you stun?" Alice asked me giving me an encouraging smile.  
  
"Yes and do the shield charm." I answered feeling a bit more confident.  
  
"Great! Then we can start with the conjunctivitis curse and rictusempra curse. Conjunctivitis will affect your opponents eyes and the rictusempra curse will tickle them, a good way for you to get away." Frank said as we began our practicing. We worked for almost four hours before I managed to master both curses, and so telling me they were proud of my progress the Longbottoms disaperated and I wandered downstairs to see who else had finished with the days training.  
  
"Hey Lily." James, Remus, Sirius and Lo were all gathered at Bernadette's kitchen table.  
  
"Hey." I said grinning and sitting next to Lo, and across from James.  
  
"This is pretty amazing, isn't it?" I asked sighing,  
  
"It is." Lo agreed smiling.  
  
"Think we can make a difference?" I asked frowning.  
  
"We know we can." Sirius said with complete confidence...or arrogance.  
  
"Hi!" Bernadette had just walked down the he stairs.  
  
"Hey, Bernadette, how was your lesson?" I asked pulled out the chair next to me.  
  
"Tireding, Moody is trying to see if I can resist the imperious curse and he put it on me like 8 times! I can't resist it though." She said miserably.  
  
"Don't worry about it, very few wizards can." James consoled her.  
  
"Yeah, calm down Bernadette." Lo agreed.  
  
"Who is still missing? Peter, Haven and Lark?" I asked staring at the three empty seats at the table.  
  
"Yeah." James scratched his head apparently deep in thought.  
  
"What is it?" I asked.  
  
"Nothing,' He said quickly flashing me a grin as a formation of owls swooped in the kitchen dropping a letter stamped with the Hogwarts crest on each of our laps. Holding my breath I stared at the letter and whispered what we were all thinking  
  
"OWL grades." I pulled open the seal and took out the two letters. The first was a list of supplies I hastily pushed aside ad the second I opened and shut my eyes and when they were opened again they saw my grades and smiled "DADA-Outstanding, Potions-Exceeds expectations, Charms-outstanding Divination-Outstanding Transfiguration-Exceeds expectations Care of Magical creatures-Exceeds expectations Herbology-Exceeds expectations History of Magic-Exceeds expectations Astrology-Acceptable. A feeling of great accomplishment flooded through me I had received 9 OWLs.  
  
"9 OWLs and three outstanding!" I said floating on air.  
  
"7 owls and 2 outstandings." Lo said frowning.  
  
"10 OWLS and 5 outstandings. Remus flushed with pride.  
  
"9 OWls and 9 outstandings Sirius said lazily.  
  
"9 OWls and 8 outstandings James smirked.  
  
"8 OWls and 1 outstanding Bernadette frowned deeply.  
  
"We all did great!" I said grinning so broadly I thought my face might crack. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I hate diagon alley. Its no where near as fun as Hogsmeade." Sirius complained the next week when we all went to get our school supplies.  
  
"Just because it doesn't have a Zonkos, doesn't mean its a boring place to be." I said  
  
"Your right Evans. Because it doesn't have Honeydukes or Zonkos it is a boring place to be," Sirius corrected himself.  
  
"Your a prat Sirius." Lo said rolling her eyes as we entered Florish and Blotts.  
  
"That hurts Lo...that really hurts." He said sarcastically, picking up "A standard book of spells grade 6"  
  
"Hey James! Oh James its a quiddich book about famous seekers! I bet you'll be in a book like this one day!" Peter squeaked excitedly.  
  
"Yeah, I bet your right." James said closing his eyes and envisioning himself in a quiddich book.  
  
"Stop encouraging him, Peter. You keep this up and you will be the on writing the book about James." Sirius snapped paying for his new NEWT level text books.  
  
"I have my books." Lark said getting inline behind Sirius. Haven followed suit and got behind Lark.  
  
"Here Lily! I found our new divination books!" Lo said calling me over.  
  
"Thanks Lo." I grinned and we all finished paying for our books before stepping out from the shops and into the warm sunlight.  
  
"How about we go for ice cream?" Sirius suggested counting his change before adding "On me!"  
  
"This is why we hang out with you Sirius." James teased flinging his arm around his best friends as we stopped at Fleoren Fresctue's ice cream parlor and sat down at one of the circular umbrella tables.  
  
"I'll have one chocolate rasberry." Sirius said to the waiter.  
  
"A peanut butter banana." James added promptly.  
  
"A vanilla mocha with extra sprinkles." Peter licked his lips.  
  
"Two Vanilla caramel swirls." Remus said smiling at Lo who nodded happily.  
  
"A Strawberry peanut butter." Lark grinned.  
  
"A Chocolate walnut." Haven said oddly wistfully.  
  
"Um...What do you all recommend?" I asked unsure of what to get.  
  
"We will have two peanut butter bananas." James told the waiter who nodded and walked away.  
  
"You love the flavor, Lily." James assured me. I looked around at everyone else at the table and my eyes rested on Haven who was crying silently.  
  
"Haven! What wrong?" I asked startled. Everyone else was staring at her too.  
  
"J-Justin. He graduated a-and d-d-d-" she broke down completely and began to bawl.  
  
"He dumped you?" Lo asked rolling her eyes as Haven's sobs intensified. I shot Lo a dirty look for being very unsympathetic. She just shrugged.  
  
"Um, Haven every guy who have ever dated has broken up with you and you act this way every time! You think you would be used to it!" Lo said unhelpfully.  
  
"Haven, he wasn't that great anyway. Now you can pick someone new!" I urged brightly. She sniffed and nodded as the ice cream came. James was right, peanut butter. banana was good.  
  
"Like it?" James asked while licking his own.  
  
"Yes, its surprisingly good." I conceded.  
  
"I knew you would like it! Sometimes you just have to give things a chance." He said with a wink and I got the distinct feeling he was talking about more than just icecream. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Excellent work Lily!" Frank, oh i mean Mr. Longbottom praised after our last practice session a month later. I was due for my return to Hogwarts the next day so we finished the afternoon with one more new spell.  
  
"You can continue training next summer, we will be delighted to help you." Alice, opps i mean Mrs. Longbottom said smiling.  
  
"You guys are great teachers! One of you should teach defense against the dark arts. Last years teacher got killed by a mandrake in the greenhouse." I said sadly.  
  
"No, we couldn't Lily dear. We're in auror training remember?" Mrs. Longbottom reminded me.  
  
"Oh yeah...You two would still be great though. Do you know who Dumbledorr has hired this year?" I asked eagerly.  
  
"Yes, actually we do know." Mr. Longbottom admitted.  
  
"Who is it?" I asked.  
  
"It's Gideon Prewett. Became an auror just last year with his brother Fabian, but Gideon agreed to teach for one year before returning to his auror duties." Mrs. Longbottom explained.  
  
"Excellent!" I grinned.  
  
"You'll like him. He knows his stuff." Mr. Longbottom said smiling.  
  
"Oh Lily we almost forgot!" Mrs. Longbottom went into her bag and pulled out a wrapped little box.  
  
"It's a gift to you. For being such a wonderful trainee. You have become like a best friend. We will miss you Lily." Mrs. Longbottom's pleasant round face was shining with happiness as I took the gift and unwrapped it. Inside the box there was a dark blue ring.  
  
"It changes colors when there is danger...Its like an alarm bell ring. When it's royal blue, like that, there is no danger." Mr. Longbottom said smiling.  
  
"If it's green you should be on the lookout. If is becomes orange or yellow prepare for an attack. If it is red your in mortal peril and if its black..."Mrs. Longbottom trailed off.  
  
"I'm dead." I finished still smiling. I placed on the ring which still glowed dark blue and Mrs. Longbottom gave me a hug.  
  
"Don't for get us Lily." she said pinching my cheek affectionately.  
  
"I wont." I promised. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N:BETA-READERS!!! now you can review to be my beta! I explained all about it up top!! This chapter was pretty long, sorry it took it little longer than usual to update. I can't wait to start their sixth year. Now while LIly & James hook up in the 7th year does not mean that I can't add a little romance in the sixth year. I have things planned, trust me ;)~ I look foward to hearing from ppl who want to beta-read!!! pls respond!! READ & REVIEW! REVIEWS WILL MAKE SURE I POST THE NEXT CHAPTER AND POST IT SOON- April. 


	10. A message & a Kiss

CHAPTER 10: A Message & a Kiss The sun burned hot and yellow against the blue sky as I entered the train station with my friends the next morning. "Prefects have to go the front for a bit." Remus said pointing at his badge.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Sirius rolled his eyes and helped Lo carry my trunk as Remus and I made our way down to the prefects compartment,  
  
"Welcome, welcome!" The food cart lady greeted us as we sat down next to each other. Bellatrix Black and Rodophlus Lestrange were eyeing us coldly.  
  
"Good morning Bellatrix. Morning Rododphlus!" Remus said pleseantly as though he were greeting an old friend. Bellatrix smirked, her heavy lidded eyes gazing out the window, as Lestrange put his arm around her shoulders. The other prefects entered the compartment and the lady went on naming and welcoming the 8 new prefects. Finally, after re-stating our prefect duties, she said we were free to wander about the train.  
  
"Where do you think they are?" Remus asked, staring at the train. We had been in too much of a rush to meet the other prefects; we hadn't payed attention to where our friends had taken a seat.  
  
"Damnit," he said, annoyed, as we walked by the compartments, looking in the glass.  
  
"Remus! Evans! Over here!" James called and we walked over to meet him. The compartment was quite cramped with everyone packed in together.  
  
"Lily, sit on James' lap. The compartment is too full," Sirius joked. Remus sat down next to James and Lo immediately moved to his lap.  
  
"Now Lily has a seat," she said, grinning at Remus.  
  
"Good idea," Remus agreed, blushing.  
  
"It's a kodak moment...It's so beautiful...," James said sarcastically.  
  
"Watch the PDA's! I have virgin eyes!" Sirius warned.  
  
"That's all that's still virgin...," James muttered while everyone laughed and Sirius cursed James' nose into the shape of a hook.  
  
"He has Snape's nose now!" Lo chuckled as James returned his nose to normal, laughing with the rest of us.  
  
"Hey Evans, am I any cuter with Snivellus's nose?" James asked.  
  
"Cuter than Snape is with his nose," I admitted grinning.  
  
"Well that isn't saying much," Bernadette reminded me.  
  
"Speak of the devil...," Lark whispered as the Slytherins slid open our door.  
  
"Feeling brave this morning?" Bellatrix asked, smirking suspiciously.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius shot defensivly.  
  
"Only that things are changing," Bellatrix laughed.  
  
"There are things going on that maybe you can't handle. Especially you, Potter, since you seem incapable of accomplishing anything that doesn't involve a broom...," Snape remarked in his usually oily voice.  
  
"At least I can mount a broom, Snivellus," James retorted.  
  
"Yeah and at least he can handle washing his pants...," Sirius sneered, making the Gryffindors laugh. Even Bellatrix snorted.  
  
"He has a point Snape," she said, looking at him with distaste. Then she turned back to us, hatred etched in her eyes. "Your not worth anymore of our time." Bellatrix snapped her fingers and lead her minions back into the corrider. Sirius gave a loud, false cough that soudly oddly like "Git!" The rest of the journey passed by quickly playing exploding snap, eating sweets, and discussing the best hexes they learned that summer. It was a cloudless night with the stars flung about the velvet sky. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Cold Evans?" James asked as we walked out of the train together. A wind brushed past me.  
  
"A bit," I admitted, pulled my cloak tighter. James wrapped an arm around my shoulders.  
  
"Warmer?" He asked hopefully. The truth was it really didn't make a differnce in warmth, but I didn't mind.  
  
"Yes," I lied, leaning my head on his shoulder.  
  
"I KNEW YOU WERE GOING OUT!" Haven screamed as we got into a car pulled by Thestrals.  
  
"Shut up Haven, they aren't going out. They are touchy-feely-friendly- friends," Lo explained, winking at me. It was a good thing it was dark because I could feel color rush up in my face.  
  
"Thanks Lo, couldn't have said it better myself," James smirked. "But we could go out!" he added excitedly.  
  
"Or we couldn't," I replied, shutting my eyes and becoming very sleepy all cuddled up to James. Sleepy, safe...I could get used to it...if he wasn't such an arrogent toerag.  
  
"Lily!" A voice whispered gently in my ear about five minutes later. My eyes popped open. The carts had stopped and James was trying to wake me up. I stood up immediately.  
  
"Sorry!" I said, embarrassed.  
  
"Its okay," he said with a smirk, helping me down and into the castle. The great hall was beautiful as always. I was staring at the ceiling that was bewitched to reflect the starry sky and a familiar rhyme echoed in my head. I started at the first star I saw. 'Star light, star bight, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish, I wish tonight...I wish to fall in love,' I thought, focusing on the star.  
  
"What are you doing?" Bernadette asked, sitting on a seat beside me that wasn't occupied by James.  
  
"Wishing," I said, grinning.  
  
"Be careful what you wish, for. It might come true," she said with a sad smile.  
  
"Welcome!" Dumbledore said, directing the attention of the great hall towards himself. Professor McGonagall led a line of first years up to the stool where the old sorting hat stood, looking quite weathered and beaten, but as always it sang:  
  
"Once there were four friends  
  
Then founders, they became  
  
They built this school united and the same  
  
Through stiff and hardships they survived  
  
And through all of this, their friendships thrived  
  
Gryffindor was brave and just  
  
Hufflepuffs, you could always trust  
  
Ravenclaw, so clever and quick with wit  
  
Slytherin, was ever so ambitious they never quit  
  
Together they created the school you now can see  
  
But fighting tore them apart and, the four was now only three  
  
And so because of stubborness and differences  
  
The friendships had come to an end  
  
And while they NOW are known as founders  
  
They were ONCE known as friends.  
  
So Gryffindors use bravery  
  
To find a smart Ravenclaw to see  
  
Slytherins use determination  
  
To befriend a Hufflepuff, forgetting discrimination  
  
And in these times of trouble, united we shall be  
  
We can't let our four houses  
  
Be torn apart to three"  
  
Applause was scattered and quickly stopped. Students stared confused at the hat.  
  
"It never warned us before," I whispered to Bernadette, who looked just as dumbfounded.  
  
"Adams, Nicole!" Professor McGonagall read from her scroll. A short boy with blonde hair walked up to the hat. "SLYTHERIN!" it shouted.  
  
"Think anyone is going to listen to the sorting hats message?" James asked, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Nope, not a soul," Sirius said causally.  
  
"When is the food coming? I'm starving!" Peter grumbled. McGonagall was now starting on the C's.  
  
"Casey, Laurena" was called up next. She had long, sweeping brown hair and became a Ravenclaw.  
  
"Corwyn, Henri" and the first new Gryffindor walked over the the table.  
  
"We have too many first years! Let's eat already," Siruis said, sending the long line of new students a dirty look.  
  
"You will get your food soon, Sirius. My Gods, calm down," I snapped as "Donall, Johann" joined the Hufflepuff table.  
  
"You know, maybe we should think about the message..," Bernadette said, looking around at her friends for support.  
  
"Why?" asked James and Sirius in unison. Both looked at her incredously.  
  
"Because we are stonger united then we are divided," she persisted.  
  
"If you're implying that we should make friends with Snivelly, Lestrange, Avery, Nott or Bellatrix, you're outta your mind," James said flatly.  
  
"Maybe if we just declared a truce..." She looked around for support again.  
  
"You're a nutter," Sirius said sadly, patting her on the head.  
  
"Hinks, Misty!" McGonagall called and our conversation stopped.  
  
"RAVENCLAW!" yelled the hat.  
  
"Hunter, Sorcha!" There was a slight pause as the hat contemplated. "SLYTHERIN!"  
  
"Jaley, Ivona" became a Ravenclaw.  
  
"Listen, why not try and be pleasant and helpful to a first year Slytherin? Make friends with a younger student," Bernadette suggested  
  
"Forget it Shadow," James said impatiently, ruffling his hair.  
  
"Lockhart, Gilderoy!" A short, cute first year was sorted into Hufflepuff.  
  
"Moon, Jared!" A boy with almost light blonde hair walked up to the hat. "SLYTHERIN!" it announced to the hall.  
  
"Moon, James!" A boy with the same hair and face, likely Jared's twin, now picked up the hat. "The little brat stole my name!" James said indignatly.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" roared the hat.  
  
"And he stole my house!" James glared at the boy.  
  
"Stop it! You'll scare the little kids," I warned, glaring at him.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." He rubbed his tummy, mumbling about food.  
  
"Nordsey, Karl" was a Slytherin, and "Nyrome, Aja" was a Ravenclaw.  
  
"You know it really is important to make ties with other houses! We need all the allies we can get! Enemies could prove to be fatal!" Bernadette exclaimed, frustrated that no one was taking her idea of befriending new people seriously.  
  
"You know...I reckon Bernadette might be right," Remus said to James and Sirius.  
  
"If she might be right then she might be wrong too," Sirius muttered.  
  
"I think its a good idea," I said firmly.  
  
"You can't be serious Evans! Think about what slime comes from Slytherin!" James protested.  
  
"Not all Slytherins are slime," Bernadette said earnestly.  
  
"But everyone who is slime was or is a Slytherin," Sirius shot back.  
  
"Roboin, Corey" was now putting on the hat. "GRYFFINDOR!" it called.  
  
"Talon, Maxamillion" also joined the Gryffindor table. There were only a few first years left. Hanson Troy(Ravenclaw), Gretchen Umbria(Slytherin), Nicholas Vince(Gryffindor) and Kyler Yoli(Hufflepuff) were sorted and the feast began. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The first week was busy, very busy with NEWT level courses. No one ever really explains how hard NEWT classes are. I guess it's something you have to discover for youself. I thought a lot about this "Not all Slytherins are slime, but all slime is a Slytherin". Therefore meaning that if a wizard is on the dark side, he comes from the Slytherin house, but if a person is in the Slytherin house it doesn't mean they will join the dark side. It makes sense I suppose but couldn't a dark wizard come from any house? Maybe not Hufflepuff, but perhaps Ravenclaw or Gryffindor could produce a dark wizard. I tried to tell everyone this in the common room but they all gave my a funny look and went to dinner. I was just re-adjusting my prefect badge when I noticed James hadn't left with the others.  
  
"Evans, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw can't give out bad wizards," James said as though explaining something very simple to a toddler.  
  
"Why not?" I asked. I didn't see why it couldn't happen. "Because Gryffindors are noble! And Ravenclaws are too smart," James said slowly and carefully.  
  
"Your stereotyping," I lectured.  
  
"Are you ever going to just agree with me?" he begged.  
  
"No," I answered, smiling.  
  
"Never?" he pleaded, smiling too.  
  
"Nope." I was just about to leave for dinner when James called my name. My heart pounded. It sounded just like in my dream.  
  
"Yeah?" I asked.  
  
"Nothing..." He looked as though he were teetering on the verge of something,  
  
"Potter?" I called.  
  
"Yeah?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing." I smirked and his lips closed around mine in front of half the people in the common room. I heard first years giggling and other people cheering. James had to pull away because we were both laughing and trying to french kiss at the same time. Blushing and giggling I climbed out of the entry hall with him right behind me.  
  
"That was your first kiss?" he asked as we walked side by side.  
  
"Yes." I was still grinning like an idiot.  
  
"Wanna go out with me now?" he asked, hoping for a new answer.  
  
"No, not yet." I gave him a sorry smile and still blushed.  
  
"Why not?" he demanded.  
  
"Because your still too immature," I said, my smile fading slightly.  
  
"Thanks," he said coldly.  
  
"I didn't mean it in a bad way...not really," I said, desperately trying not to make him mad.  
  
"Oh really?" he asked, his voice still cold.  
  
"Don't be mad!" I implored helplessly.  
  
"Then how should I feel?" he asked. Underneath all the coldness he looked truly hurt...this wasn't how the dreams went....  
  
"I don't know!" I exclaimed sadly.  
  
"Neither do I." He brushed past me as we entered the great hall. The sky was cloudy and rainy.  
  
"Um, Lily? What just happened?" Lo asked as James sat on the other side of the table. Sirius, Remus, and Peter jumped up to follow him.  
  
"I don't wanna talk about it," I said and left the great hall again, Lo, Bernadette, Haven, and Lark all following.  
  
"What is going on?" Lo shouted as I quickened my pace.  
  
"I don't know what your talking about," I lied. As I have said, I am quite possibly the worst liar on the planet.  
  
"You and James! What's happened?" Lo finally caught up with me and grabbed my arm.  
  
"We kissed, he asked me out. I said no." I tried to pull away but Lo wouldn't let go of me.  
  
"Jeez...," Sirius called out to us, breaking the awkward silence.  
  
"I need to talk to Evans," James said to our friends.  
  
"Yeah, you guys definately need to talk," Bernadette said, dragging Lo, Lark and Haven away,  
  
"Um, Sirius do you mind?" James asked, nudging his unmoving friend.  
  
"Do I have to leave?" he asked, pouting.  
  
"Yes!" James and I called, exasperated, at the same time. Frowning, he walked away.  
  
"Lily, do you even like me?" he asked.  
  
"Of course I do James!" I said, surprised. It was the first time we were ever on first name terms. It felt nice.  
  
"Then why can't we date?" he asked. His voice cracked.  
  
"Because lets not ruin....ruin our friendship...lets not mess things up right now," I said, not tearing my eyes away from his.  
  
"Okay..." He looked disappointed but at least he wasn't shouting at me anymore.  
  
"James?" I asked softly  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I-" I stopped. I couldn't explain how I felt right now; I would never be able to put it in words. He seemed to understand because he nodded and we walked off to dinner together, resisiting the urge to throw ourselves into each others arms and stay there forever. Have you ever wanted something so badly and not let yourself have it because of fear of losing it?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AN: I am SOOOOO sorry for the late update and SOOOOO sorry this chapter wasn't longer. You guys hate me don't you? Oh and sry if my sorting hat song is bad, Im not JK :-/ I threw in in romance for inluvwithjames but I refuse to hook them til 7th year, JK knows best but there will be plenty more kissing & sweet stuff if thats what u want. Oh and If you want a romantic fic check out my new Bellatrix story....romance is in that...its a really dark fic tho, but it needs reviews to go read & review it after u review this one, Positive reviews(Or constructive ideas)The next chapter will be posted probabley Tuesday, if Im late then I give you a million apologies but pls remembere school is starting soon and I need to spend time with my frends and do my summer book reprt and go school shopping ect, but I need your guys support your the reason I write so often! I love all my reviews thanks soooo much especially too:InluvwithJames (U put up with my story even tho u want more love, hehe ur awesome)Dana-Rose(I kno u dont review here but ur advice and assistance has been great.) Sara-Anne (I luv u sweetie, keep reviewing) Manny (Ur reviews are always so positive! Your one of my fav. readers!) my two new beta-readers (Dunnygal & Feiry pheonix I thank you guys a million for your support and help, gods I hate grammer, but I luv u two!) Spunkygabi (Thanks for your reviews throughout the chappies! Your reviews are postitive too!! another of my fav. readers!) Luthien Vardamir(U were my first reviewer, I am forever greatful!) and to all my other awesome readers:Masha, sailorsunandchildofthesun, *:)*, Katie, Slim, Stargazer, Skylar (I loved ur review, so insightful!), Jen, sgt. peper, silver raven, Keyblade mistress, reader, reviwer, Sam, faithfulreader, & Metaya! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so READ & REVIEW SO I POST THE NEXT CHAPTER.-April 


	11. The other side of Bernadette Shadow

CHAPTER 11:THE OTHER SIDE OF BERNADETTE SHADOW  
  
It was now almost October. School went by as usual. No further kisses with James and I wasn't sure whether I should be relieved or not. The truth is, I don't mind Kissing, it is every bit as sweet as the dreams, its the aftermath that gets annoying. I don't want to date him right now! He doesn't need to take everything so personally.  
  
Hey Evans!" I was walking down to care of magical creatures with Lo and Bernadette when I heard James's voice behind me.  
  
"What's up Potter?" I asked. Tossing my longish red hair out of my face.  
  
"I was thinking, that maybe you and your friends could hang out with me and Sirius, Remus and Peter on Halloween. There is a Hogsmeade visit that day. I thought it might be fun." He said trying to act as though it wouldn't matter if I said no, but I knew he would be crushed.  
  
"Of course it will be fun. Count us in." I smiled.  
  
"Oh, well cool. I'll see you around then." he walked over to his friends, lookingvery smug.  
  
"You and James make the best couple." Lo said smirking,  
  
"So do you and Remus." I smirked back at her,  
  
"So do Bernadette and Sirius." Lo winked at Bernadette who turned crimson.  
  
"So do Haven and the giant squid." Lo added as we burst out laughing.  
  
"What's so funny ladies?" Professor Kettleburn asked faintly annoyed we had disrupted class as he was about to began.  
  
"N-Nothing. Sorry Professor." I said trying to keep a straight face.  
  
"Very well then." He said frowning slightly and returned to his lesson about the Yeti.  
  
"So why does James call you 'Evans' still? You two kissed, and he can't call you 'Lily?" Bernadette whispered as the professor looked at his reference book.  
  
"He called me Lily once..." I whispered back.  
  
"Once? Great! So kiss him one more time and the git will call you Lily twice." Lo said rolling her eyes.  
  
"What's the big deal if he wants to call me Evans?" I asked.  
  
"Its not abig deal, its just weird. Remus doesn't call me Ping." Lo said pretending to be taking notes.  
  
"Yeah, but you and Remus are going out. Me and James aren't" I said out of the corner of my mouth.  
  
"True but neither are me and you, but I don't call you Evans and we never even kissed." Lo said grinning. I put my hand over my mouth to keep from giggling. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Lily, Lily, tell me your heart is true! I'm completely crazy over the love of youuuu!! I can't afford a carriage! It wont be a fancy marriage! But you'll look sweet upon the seat of a broomstick built for two!" James sang loudly as I entered the common room that night.  
  
"James, James Lily says she loves youuu!" Lo began to sing back when I mumbled "Silencio!" and she continued to mouth her own version of the song, but no sound came from her mouth.  
  
"Gods, I love silencing charms." I said smiling at Lo, who flicked me off, while returning mysmile.  
  
"Hey Evans?" James called out still standing on the other side of the common room.  
  
"Hey Potter?" I called back. "Catch!" He threw me what looked like an innocent white ball. When I caught it---  
  
"POTTER!" I yelled frustrated. The "innocent" white ball had exploded covering me in what seemed to be stinksap.  
  
"Scrouifgy"Bernadette said trying not to laugh as the foul green liquid disappeared.  
  
"Thanks Potter." I grumbled sarcastically. "A-anyt-ime Evans!" he said still laughing. I bit my lip trying to think of a way to get him back...the dumb-arse git.  
  
"Come on." I waved my friends to follow me as we entered our dorm.  
  
"Any suggestions for payback?" I asked Lo, Bernadette, Lark and Haven as we sat in a circle on the floor.  
  
"Finite incantem." I said to Lo who was silent and sulky. She brightened as the curse was taken off her.  
  
"Throw a dungbomb at him?" Lark said shrugging.  
  
"Throw him at a dungbomb?" Logrinned.  
  
"Now there's an a good idea, Lo" Bernadette laughed.  
  
"Maybe we could bewitch his mirror so he thinks he has a mustache or a big zit?" Lark said  
  
"Maybe we could make his quill write only "James is an arse, James is a prat, James is a git" over and over and over an over-"  
  
"Okay, Lo we get it." I said smiling,  
  
"What if we gave him a quill, that would write in ink that would disappear after a few hours...He would do all his homework at night and the next morning it will be gone!" Bernadette said smiling.  
  
"And where would we get such a quill?" Haven asked raising her eyebrows.  
  
"Right in my trunk. Bethem let me use it to do some of my summer homework. I nearly killed her but she said I could keep the quill, so I would forgive her." Bernadette explained, pulling an ordinary looking black quill from her trunk.  
  
"I like the idea." Lark piped.  
  
"Yeah, but is he really dense enough to fall for it?" Haven askeddoubtfully.  
  
"OOOOH YEEEAH." I said loudly.  
  
"Then lets do it! Tomorrow night, even he would be suspicious if we offered him a 'gift' tonight." I said smiling and went to the door.  
  
"Whose up for dinner?" Lo asked jumping up with me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Tomorrow is the full moon. Bet'cha can't wait, can ya Remus?" James teased at breakfast the next morning.  
  
"Oh yes, I love the moon." He said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Your not being sarcastic, are ya Rem?" Sirius warned trying to sound stern.  
  
"NOOO." Remus said with such obvious sarcasm Sirius waved his finger disapprovingly, but the act wasn't very good as Sirius was laughing while he lectured.  
  
"Sarcasm isn't appealing. Not at all, son." he chocked through snorts.  
  
"Since when am I your son?" Remus asked confused.  
  
"This conversation is getting kinda weird." Bernadette said inching away from Sirius, whom she was sitting nexttoo.  
  
"You scare easy Shadow." Sirius said smirking.  
  
"No I don't." she disagreed. Sirius mumbled something under his breath and a golf ball sized, hairy spider appeared next to Bernadette's goblet.  
  
"AHHHHH!" She screamed and jumped off the bench, half the great hall looking at her. Sirius tried to keep a straight face, while avoiding Bernadette's eyes.  
  
"Get a grip." Lo said impatiently flicking her wand and vanishing the spider.  
  
"You don't scare easy? yeeeeah riiiiiiiiiiiiight, and Lily isn't over emotional." Sirius smirked.  
  
"Shut up Black." Bernadette, couldn't help but smile.  
  
"If I must." He quieted and returned to eating his porridge.  
  
"Hey did you guys here about the care for magical creatures lesson today?" James asked suddenly.  
  
"No, what about it?" I said turning towards him.  
  
"We are going to be studying a beast who has an evil nature, hideous features. A beast so terrifying, so hairy so foul..." James brokeoff shuddering.  
  
"What is it?" Lark asked anxiously, she seemed to have forgotten she wasn't even in our care for magical creatures class...  
  
"Snivellus!" James said dramatically. We all started laughing, mostly because Snape and his friends were walking by an had heard EVERYTHING James had just said.  
  
"Oh really?" Snape said his eyes flashing. James whipped around.  
  
"Good morning, Snivelly, we were just talking about you." James greeted cheerfully.  
  
"And so I heard." Snape's lip curled.  
  
"Oh really? So wasn't my description of you alarmingly accurate?" James said, proudly.  
  
"No, it sounded more as though you were describing yourself." Snape retorted. James laughed.  
  
"Great comeback, your so clever!" He said sarcastically. Snape raised his wand when Professor McGongall caught his eye. Sulking he walked away mouthing "Watch your back! " as he stalked out of the great hall.  
  
"Slimy git." Remus said resentfully watching him go.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "We didn't study Snape in class today, Potter, you lied." I said as we sat by the fire doing homework.  
  
"Sorry 'bout that Evans." he said smiling. He was so cute....  
  
"Want to borrow my quill?" I offered handing the bewitched quill to him.  
  
"I have my own." He said but found it wasn't in his bag. Lo took it when he went to the bathroom.  
  
"Must have fallen out."he frowned. I handed mine to him again.  
  
"Thanks." he said taking the quill and beginning his transfiguration essay. I meet Bernadette's eye and we turned away snickering.  
  
"What is so funny?"James asked suspiciously.  
  
"Bernadette had ink on her nose." I lied quickly. Mumbling, about idiot girls he returned to his homework.  
  
"I need some sleep for tomorrow night." Remus said kissing Lo on the cheek and ascending the stairs to his room.  
  
"Poor, mate." Sirius said watching him go.  
  
"Oh guess what!?"Bernadette exclaimed excitedly.  
  
"What's up?" I asked.  
  
"I made friends with a Slytherin." She beamed.  
  
"I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you right." Sirius said shaking his head disbelievingly.  
  
"I am officially friends with-"  
  
"It better not be Bellatrix or Snape." Lo said harshly.  
  
"Like I would talk to Bellatrix or Snape!" she said making a face.  
  
"I'm friends with Jared Moon. His twin is in our house, James Moon." She said  
  
"The kid who copied my house and my name is the twin of your new buddy?" James grumbled.  
  
"Yes, he is. Get over yourself Potter." She said rolling her eyes.  
  
"So congratulations, I guess." I said  
  
"Thanks! I invited him to study with us in the library tonight...who is coming?"  
  
"Forget it." Lo said quickly.  
  
"Callisto is coming." Bernadette smiled.  
  
"You convinced my little sister to go meet some slithering ass?"Lo asked indignantly.  
  
"Yep." Bernadettedeclared.  
  
"I'm coming too then. Your gonna try and set my baby sister up with that bastard."  
  
"I am not going to try and set them up. And how can you say he is a bastard when you don't know him?"Bernadette asked.  
  
"Oh fine, but if he turns out to be evil or something and marries my sister the blame is all on you." Lo grinned.  
  
"In that unlikely situation...Okay the blame lies on me." Bernadette smiled.  
  
"Deal." she and Lo shook hands.  
  
"Are you coming Lily?" Bernadette asked.  
  
"Yeah, sure why not?" I shouldered my book bag.  
  
"Haven, Lark wanna tag along?" I asked them.  
  
"No thanks." Haven said giving us a reproving look as we set off for the library.  
  
"So what are we? Some bizarre Gryffindor welcoming committee for Slytherin first years?" Lo asked Bernadette as we exited the portrait.  
  
"Not exactly..." Bernadette shrugged.  
  
"Is anyone else going to be there, besides the Moon kid?" I asked.  
  
"Maybe."Bernadette mumbled evasively.  
  
"Who else?" Lo demanded.  
  
"No one." Bernadette insisted, staring at her shoes. We didn't have anymore time to press the matter as we had arrived at the library.  
  
"Hey Bernadette! Over here!" Called a seventh year Slytherin boy who was sitting with Callisto and Jared Moon.  
  
"Hey! Everyone I would like to introduce you to Andrew Not." Bernadette said grinning.  
  
"So, are you part of Bernadette's whole project "Befriend a Slytherin?" Lo asked bluntly.  
  
"I guess so. She is part of my project 'befriend a Gryffindor." He smiled.  
  
"I see....So your the only two idiots who took the message seriously?" Lo questioned.  
  
"Yeah, I think so." Bernadette  
  
"It figures, that you would be one of the only people who takes an old hat's advice." Lo teased Bernadette.  
  
"So, who are you friends?" Nott asked watching us.  
  
"Oh, this is Lo Ping and Lily Evans." Bernadette, pointed us each out.  
  
"Oh, cool.Anyway, your coming to hang with me late r on after our studying session right?" Nott asked.  
  
"Of course! We made plans didn't we?" Bernadette said grinning like an idiot.  
  
"Yeah." He couldn't take his eyes off of her.  
  
"Okay maybe I'm wrong but are you two going out?" Lo asked  
  
"You didn't know?" Nott asked throwing his arm around Bernadette's shoulders.  
  
"Well, um lets get studying, shall we?" I asked taking out my books. An hour passed before another word was spoken between us.  
  
"Well I'm finished, wanna go back to the common room Lily?" Lo asked not looking at Bernadette.  
  
"Sure." I stood up quickly waving Bernadette, Callisto and her new Slytherin friends good-bye.  
  
"What the hell is Bernadette thinking? I thought she liked Black!" Lo shook her head angrily as we entered through the fat lady and stomped up the stairs to the girls dormitory.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" Remus asked.  
  
"Bernadette has a Slytherin boyfriend."I frowned.  
  
"WHAT?" cried two indignant voices in unison.  
  
"Yes that's right, Potter, Black. Bernadette is going out with a Slytherin. Andrew Nott, I think he said his name was." I said still frowning. Sirius mouthed silently, too appalled to speak.  
  
"Is she feeling okay?" James asked.  
  
"I don't know...." I shook my head and went up stairs to go to bed. "What the hell is Bernadette thinking?" Lo's voice echoed through my head. Haven had always seemed more likely to date a Slytherin, not sweet Bernadette...I drifted off into an uneasy sleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Hey Bernadette!" I caught her just as she was about to leave the common room.  
  
"Oh uh-Hey." She said giving me an awkward smile.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked, not returning her feeble grin.  
  
"I can't hangout with you." She said quickly. I felt as thought someone had slapped me.  
  
"Why not?" I asked softly.  
  
"Your a muggle-born....Amudblood, Don't you see what's going on? Andy can't date a girl who hangs around with-with a mudblood." she said and bolted from the common without a backwards glance. A paper fell from her pocket, curios and angry I bent down and unfolded the parchment. It was the warning from last year, sent to her from the death-eaters. Was she going to join them?  
  
"Lily, what's up?" Lo asked concerned at the indignant and horrified look on my face.  
  
"Lily?" Remus asked gently.  
  
"Hey watch out, MOVE!" James was pushing several first years out of his way to get to me. Silent tears poured down my cheek.  
  
"Bernadette called me a mudblood. She says that's why she wont hang out with me anymore and I found this warning, it fell from her robes." I said, my voice sounded oddly detached. James pulled me against him, holding me as I stood shaking in the common room. I rested me head against his chest.  
  
"It will be okay. No one else will ever do that to you, I never will. Ipromise everything will be okay."James whispered.  
  
"Gods, I don't know whether to hug Lily or go find Bernadette and kick her ass, forget wands I strangle the bitch." Lo rambled on and on. I finally stopped crying a few minutes later and pulled away from James.  
  
"Thanks." I smiled, through my drying tears and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He blushed.  
  
"Lets go to breakfast." I suggested.  
  
"Yeah, Bernadette will be there I can curse her nose off." Lo said gripping her wand.  
  
"NO!" Remus shouted grabbing her wand.  
  
"Remus, is right you not getting expelled over Bernadette, she isn't worth it." I said as we walked to the great hall together.  
  
"Oh, well, well, well what have we got here?" Bellatrix was smiling, I hate it when she is happy. I imagined her crying and I felt slightly better.  
  
"Hey Bernadette! Come here, your old friends have graced us with their presence." Snape called. Since when had he and Bernadette been on firstname terms? Bernadette stood up from where she had been sitting at the Slytherin table, and sneered. At least she didn't call me a mudblood again.  
  
"Its pretty pathetic when your own friends, dump you for your enemies." Bellatrix chuckled. I hated to admit it, but she was right.  
  
"Shut up Bellatrix." Sirius said angrily.  
  
"Fine, I can see some people just can't handle the truth very well." She said sympathetically before sitting down--next to Bernadette, my old best friend.  
  
"I don't believe it." I said watching them.  
  
"Neither do I." James squeezed my hand, I felt a little better. Some people were still on my side. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What the hell? James asked in transfiguration that day.  
  
"What's wrong?" Lo asked  
  
"My homework...All the writing disappeared." He said confused I cracked up.  
  
"Sorry bout that Potter." I said smirking. Bernadette was smiling too, she tried to catch my eye andI looked away. I was so mad at her I could hardly stand breath the same air.  
  
"It was your quill that did this, huh?" James asked grinning.  
  
"Yep." I said proudly.  
  
"Rictusempra!" he called, pointing his wand at me. I was hit with the tickling charm and was on my knees laughing uncontrollably when McGonagall entered the room, looking at me as though I were completely mad, before seeing James pointing his wand at me and understanding the situation.  
  
"Finite incantem." she said and I sat on the floor trying to catch my breath, still half laughing.  
  
"Next time you will get detention Mr. Potter." McGonagall said sternly.  
  
"Okie Dokie Professor." James said helping me back in my seat. McGonagal's face softened as though she were about to smile.  
  
"Now! To furniture transfiguration!" she said beginning the lesson.  
  
AN: RE-POST:My readers must hate me now....*hides* im sorry! There will be more Lily/James in the future and as for Bernadette, I suppose you will all just have to wait and see what happens. I am trying to post as much as I can before school starts bc I am so incredabley sorry but I am starting school August 27th and once school and drama club start up I am going to try and post one chapter every week, but it might be every two weeks depending on my homework. I PROMISE That I will complete this story. PROMISE. I wont give up on it, UNLESS I stop getting reviews. I will keep writingg as long as you all are reading. I will re-post this choater once my betaa have seen it, but REVIEW NOW so READ & REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW-your faithful author-April PS: thanks Mindy!! ^_^ 


	12. The Product of Love

***********************************************************************CHAPT ER 12: THE PRODUCT OF LOVE *********************************************************************** "I hate Bernadette." Lo seethed at dinner. Bernadette was sitting at the Slytherin table, her back towards us. "I wonder how Remus is doing." I wondered sadly, staring at the full moon in the sky, reflected by the enchanted ceiling. "He is used to it." Sirius said quickly, a saddened look in his eyes. "Yeah." James agreed, but shoved food in his mouth, as an excuse to stop talking. "Oh shit." Haven grumbled. "What?" Lark asked looking around. "Them." Haven whispered pointing at Snape, Lestrange, Nott, Avery, Bellatrix and... "Hello Bernadette." Lo said her voice dangerous and spiteful. "Good evening to ya." She sneered. My best friend, just sneered at me... "Aww where is that hidoeus little pale boy, that always hangs around?" Bellatrix asked. "If you are refering to Lupin, and I am sure, you are since he is the hideous pale boy, I believe he went home to his 'mommy'. He gets horrible homesickness." "Ohh Snivelly, you have crossed the line." Sirius's eyes flashed and he jumped up in a second his wand jammed agianst Snape's throat. "Give me a friggin reason and your dead." Sirius hissed in his ear. "Get him off me!" Snape begged his friends. "We are not risking detention for you! What are we hufflepuffs?" Bellatrix rolled here eyes, snapped her fingers and lead her friends bacvk to her table. "GET OFF OF HIM SIRIUS BLACK." McGonagall called from her staff table, makiing a move to get up, as Sirius jumped off of Snape sliding his wand back into his robes, his eyes still flashing, glowing with a livid fire. "You wanna know what happens to Remus every month, you nosy, disgusting git?" Sirius said hs face inches from Snape's. "I bet he goes home to shag with his 'Mommy" Snape growled. Sirius leaned even closer. WE couldn't hear what he said, but Snape's eyes crinkled into a snide smile and when Sirius sat back down, his face was set with savage satisfaction. "What the hell did you tell him?" Lo asked anxiously. "I told him-" Snape had dashed out of the great hall. "You told him what?" James gulped tyring to keep his tone calm. "I told him how to get into the whomping willow." Sirius grinned. "I told him how to find, a fully grown werewolf because that sorry basterd is going to get what he deserves, to be torn apart to ity, bity peices of slime." Sirius was breathing heavy, the fire hadn't died from his dark eyes. 'YOU IDIOT! WE ARE GOING TO GET EXPELLED! AND WHAT ABOUT REMUS, HOW IS THIS GOING TO AFFECT HIM YOU SELFISH BAD TEMPERD LITTLE PRAT?" James yelled so loudly the entire hall seemed to stop talking, James bolted out the door after Snape. "I reckon you should't have done that Black." Lo said patting Sirius on the back. Sirius smiled. "I hope Remus kills him." He said and went back to eating. "You don't mean that?" I asked. "How much do ya wanna bet?" Sirius ran his hand through his hair. "I'll just take your word for it." I suddenly realized that James was risking his life for Remus and Sirius, and more surprusingly, Snape. I grinned. "Why the are you smiling?" Lo asked, her brow furrowed. "Because James is so brave." I said shutting my eyes and picturing, James bursting in the place where Remus transforms, and fighting off the werefwolrf with his wand grabbing Snape and running as fast as he can, sweat shining on his face, glasses slightly ascue, but his expression would be determined and serious, just like when he catches the snitch. Hhe would save Snape and out run Remus...He was a hero...My hero. "UH Lily hello? Dinner is over." Lo was waving her hand in front of my face, "OH!" I jumped up, blushing. "Sorry." I smiled. "HE COULD BE DEAD! THEY ALL COULD BE!" Peter burst into sobs, Sirius rolled his eyes. "Get a grip, will you?" Sirius snapped as we went up to the entrance hall. Peter sniffed and shot Sirius a dirty look as we left the great hall. "He isn't dead?" I asked Sirius trying not to sound anxious. Sirius went pale. "No." He gulped. "Could he be?" Lo asked sharply. Sirius simply shrugged. "Lets go do homework." Lark suggested. "Yeah, lets go do homework." I reapeated my voice sounding hollow. We went to through the portrait and sat on chairs, taking out books and quills and staring at the same line in the book, waiting for James, or McGonagall telling us their had been an accident. A half and hour passed.,then an hour and a magical voice echoed throughout the school. "Ulyssus Avery, Bellatrix Black, Sirius Black, Lily Evans, Rodophlus Lestrange, Peter Pettigrew, Lo Ping, Bernadette Shadow and Andrew Nott, please report to the headmasters office." I couldn't move. Lo put an arm around me. I saw Bernadette who looked puzzeled stand up and leave without a glance at us. Sirius and Peter stood waiting for Lo and I at the door, and we walked in silence through the halls, stopping in front of two stone gargoyles. I had lost all sense of where I was, I could only think one thing 'Please don't let James be dead,. Please don't let James be dead, Please don't let James be dead, Please don't let James be dead...' "Welcome." Professor McGonagall and the Slytherins arrived, the Slytherins looked perplexed with the Gryffindors somber faces, and had no clue why they were here, did they not realize their friend could be dead too? The gargoyles suddenly jumped aside I walked like a robot up the stairs behind Lo. "You are all here because your friends were involved insomthing that could have resulted in their death." Dumbledorr spoke seriosuly, but I wasn't listening. James was leaning agaisnt the wall, flushed and tired, but alive. "What happened?" Bellatrix inquired raising her eyebrows at the headmaster. "Well Ms. Black, I am afriad I cannot give you the details, however you owe Mr. Potter a thank you for saving Mr. Snape's life. "I would die before I thanked Potter." Bellatrix said glaring. "So would I!" Snape turned to Potter and spit on him. James smiled. "I saved your life, because your pathetic and weak and too stupid and nosy to avoid sticky incedents." James said still breathing heavy. "LIAR! I WAS TRICKED BECAUSE HIS FRIEND-" "THAT IS ENOUGH SEVERUS!" Dumbledorr roared. "Mr. Snape you will keep this secret or be expelled is that understood?" Dumbledorr did not have his usual twinkle in his blue eyes. "Yes professor." Sape grunted moodily. "Good, I called you all here to inform you that your friends are indeed, okay and Mr. Potter will be receiving a special services award for immersuable bravery. And Mr. Black, may I remind you that murder is the product of hate, and murders are also the product of hate or neglect. May you be more than a product of hate, and rise above all that has driven you thus far. You may all go." Dumbledor said and turned away from us all. "Well, did you not hear your headmaster? Your dismissed." Professor McGonagall said walking around the desk to talk to Dunmbledor, and in a single-file line we exited the office. "James!" I squealed and threw my arms around him. "Are you proud of me Lily?" he asked. I kissed him on the cheek. "Is that a yes?" he grinned and kissed me on the forehead. "Aaaah isn't it sweet?" Bellatrix said sarcastically. "At least someone wants to kiss Lily, you hag." Peter spoke up, Sirius smiled approvingly. "You think no one wants to kiss me?" Bellatrix laughed tossing her dark hair from her face. "Listen, you fat little muggle, Every boy in the Slytherin house wanst to kiss me. Do you know why? I'm beautiful and I don't take an shit from gits like you." She waved her wand and a wart appeared on the tip of Peter's nose. "Now, don't ever talk to me like that agian." Bellatrix grinned. "I hate you." Sirius said looking at Bellatrix and Snape. "Thats the nicest thing you have ever said to me." Bellatrix smirked snapping her fingers leading her friends away with her. "See you at breakfast Bernadette." She called behind her shoulder. "Hope you all rot in hell!" Snape smiled oily before leaving with his friends. "Next time, tell Bellatrix how to find Remus as a werewolf. I wont bother trying to save her." James joked sliding his hand into mine. "Why did you save Snivellus?" Sirius pouted. "I don't want you or Remus to get expelled. Do you ever think before you do things padfoot?" James asked. "Nope." Sirius slapped James on the arm in a brotherly fashion. "God your an idiot." James laughed. "So are you." Sirius teased. "We all are, can we stop with the flirting." Lo asked. "Flirintg with padfoot?" James doubled over laughing. "I think she knows about our realtionship, pumpkin pie." Sirius said dramatically. "She just can't know, love muffin!" James looked aghast. "Oh dear, darling, I am afriad we were too obvious." Sirius grinned, that was too much for all of us. I could hardly believe and hour ago I thought James might have been dead. My James was too tough to die. My hero was to perfect to ever die. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I am not the prodict of hate!" Sirius suddenly yelped at breakfast the next day. Lo snorted into her orange juice. "Little slow are we, hun? You were called the product of hate yesterday."Lo laughed. "Bellatrix, that is the product of hate. No one ever loved the bitch and so she hates everything. Can you blame her parents for not loving her? She's horrible." Sirius said watching his cousin pick lazily at her toast staring at the ceiling from the Slytherin table. "Everyone should be loved by their parents, even gits like Bellatrix." I gave Sirius an reproving look. "Not Bellatrix." Lo disagreed. "Yes, Bellatrix. Maybe if she was the product of LOVE then-" But no one heard listened because they were laughing too hard. "The product of love?" Sirius chocked . "You should be a motovationtal speaker or write greeting cards or somthing." James grinned when he finally stoped laughing. "Thanks, James." I smiled. "Lily is our product of love, because since everyone loves her, she loves everyone." Lo bantered. "awwww! Lily is MY product of love! You hear that none of you can have her! She is MY product of love!" James hugged me, I giggled. "Oh my god, This is gonna make me hurl, why would anyone want to be romanitc? Who invented this romantic, fluffy trash." Lo groaned. "Your the same way around your werewolf." Sirius reminded her. "Shut up, Black." Lo snapped. "I think Lo is the product of anger." Sirius said shaking his head sadly. "And your the product of sarcasm." Haven flashed a grin at him. Remus entered the great hall. "And there is our product of the moon." James waved Remus over. "And wittle Jamsie kins is Lily's product of love." Sirius said. "If you ever call me 'wittle Jamsie kins agian." James waved his wand threateningly. "Hey guys." Remus sat down next to Lo, and imediatly slid his hand into hers. "Do you remember what happened?" Sirius asked nervously. "What? Do you mean Snape seeing me, and James grabbing him and running from me? Nah, I can't remember." Remus muttered sarcastically. "Sorry about telling Snape where to find you...He um kinda pissed me off." Sirius avoided Remus's eyes. "I figured as much. No harm done Padfoot, old friend." Remus smiled. "Oh! Its a beautiful moment!" Haven exclaimed. "Let's go to class, your all the product of love and this happiness is giving me the urge to curse you all into fruit bats." Lo complained. "Okie dokie! Don't be such a prat though, be happier Lo! be a product of love like me and Lilz." James advised. "I hate you Potter." Lo chuckeled. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Its Halloween get up! All if you! We are supposed to go to Hogsmeade in an hour!" Haven pulled apart the curtains. "Damn it, it can't be morning all ready. I hate morning." Lo whined pulled her pillow over her face. "You will be spending the day with Remus." Lark reminded her. The pillow was thrown across the room and Lo was on her feet in a second. "Lets get ready. Rise and shine!" Lo smiled, then smacked her self. "Don't EVER let me be that god damned perky ever agian." she said shaking her head. Bernadette rolled out of bed yawning. Lo walked by her "accidently" dropping her hair brush on Bernadette's head, and grabbed it back without a word. "Be more careful, you scum." Bernadette rubbed her head. "Who the hell do you think you are?" Lo whipped around her dark eyes glinting dangerously in the automn sunlight streaming in through the windows. Bernadette stood up, she was shorter than Lo, but looked just as fierce, glaring through narrowed ominous gray eyes. "Don't you ever talk to me like that agian you traitoring bitch." Lo slapped Bernadette across the face. "Your on the losing side Ping!" Bernadette shouted. "YOUR ON THE LOSING SIDE, NOT US! SO GO BACK TO YOUR SLYTHERIN FRIENDS SO YOU CAN DIE A COWARD! SO YOU CAN DIE AS BELLATRIX'S LAPDOG!" Lo screamed. "I would rather be Bellatrix's lapdog than your friend!" Bernadette yelled back, tears falling down her face. "I would rather die than be your friend." Lo hissed, "Good! I hope you do die!" "I hope you starve to death in Azkaban." "I hope the Dark Lord makes you suffer."  
  
"Get the hell out of my face." Lo grabbed her robes, threw them on and stormed out of the dorm. I finished brushing my teeth and went up to Bernadette. "What do you want?" she snapped. "I don't want you to go to Azkaban, or suffer or die. I just want you to realize your mistake before you or anyone else gets hurt." I said in a small voice. "I don't need you to worry about whether I made a mistake or not, mudblood." she said blinking away more tears. "Fine." My voice was icy. "I want nothing else to do with you, ever." I left the dorm and just before I shut the door I felt someone hold me back. "Wait for us Lily?" Haven asked pointing to her and Lark. I blinked, confused "Some people are stil on your side." She winked. "Sure, I'll wait for you." I smiled. "You people make me sick." Bernadette left the dorm. "Gods what made her such a bitch?" Haven asked. "Fear, I suppose." I said sadly. "Okay I'm ready!" Haven grinned at her reflection in the mirror. "Great, lets go." I bounded down the stairs. "Well, well,well someone FINALLY decided to wake up." James teased as we left the portrait hole together. "So, I bet you could hardly sleep last night, the excitment of being in my fabulous company kept you up, right?" James asked. Lo snickered. "Come on Jamsie kins, you know that YOU were the one having trouble sleeping." I joked. "You know me too well, my product of love." He wraped his hand in mine. "No, I don't know you well enough," I said. "Well then let us get to know each other better." he smiled. "STOP IT! S-T-O-P I-T! YOU TWO SOUND LIKE YOU BELONG IN A FRIGGIN ROMANCE NOVEL!" Lo shouted frustrated. "Don't mind Lo, its her time of the month." I teased. "Why do I bother with you people?" Lo asked. "Because you love us." I piped. "Yes, Lo we are your honey buns." Sirius pinched her cheek. "Don't EVER do that agian." Lo glared. I laughed as we continued out past the gates, into the village. "So what are we doing first?" Sirius asked rubbing his hands together. "Let's go to zonkos." James lead the way down the street as the rest of us hurried to catch up with him. His glasses glinted in the ocober sunlight, he reminded me of a greek god for a second. "Lily, um why are you staring at James?" Lo asked smiling. "I wasn't." I lied quickly. "Yoiur blushing. oooo Lily has a crush." Lo teased. "Oh shut up." I laughed. "Ya, Ping lay off. We already know about Lily's undying affection for Jamsie Kins." Sirius said. "Undying affection? Sounds like a soap opra." I said thoughtfully. "A soap opra? What?" Sirius asked laughing. "I know what you mean Lily." Haven chortled. "I don't. What is a soap opra?" Lo asked. "Its a muggle thing." I said quickly. "All righty." James laughed and put his arm around mine. "ATTENTION EVERYONE PLEASE REPORT BACK TO HOGWARTS IMEDIATLY, FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE ISSUED LATER" The voice of Professor Dunmbledoor boomed throughout the village amoung screams. "Whats going on?" I asked frightened. "What the hell?" Sirius asked taken aback. The sun seemed to have disapeared behind the clouds, the abiance was tense and anxious.  
  
"Why are we standing here? Come on! James grabbed my hand and began to have drag me with him as we ran to the gates. "What could have happened." I panted trying to keep up with James as the rest of our friends jogged behind us. "Its not good, whatever it is." He said frowning. "No really?" Sirius yelled sarcastically from a few feet back. I felt as nervous as I had when James had chased Snape into the whomping willow. What else could have happened to inflict such panic and terror. We entered the gates to Hogwarts Professor Flitiwck was standing there. "Go to your dorms imediatly." He sqeaked hasitly. My heart raced and pounded liudly on my rib cage as I ran acorss the grounds hardly feeling the jabbing cramp in my side of the cold air stinging my lungs. "I thinkI jst realized what happened." James gasped and turned around. A scream of pure horror escaped my ips but I didn't hear the sound. I was paralyzed with fear as I saw what stood in front of us. A body lay slumped on the foor, serval other sutdend ran away and a teacher came racing us the steps. I shut my eyes still screaming. This had to be a nightmare. But it wasn't, it was all too real.  
  
AN: sorry for lateness REVIEWS: if I dont get them I wont keep updating bc I have so much other stuff going on and it makes me soooo annoyed that I spend hours working on these chpoaters and u ppl think im asking alot when I want some input on my story. Tsh puhleaze. Seriously I really like writing this story and I love my readers and my betas. Pls keep reviewing. Next Update will be:September 30th. I will also be re-posting this chaoter after I get it edited from my betas ttly see ya later. xoxo Aprilsummer 


	13. Switching Sides

"I think I just realized what happened." James gasped and turned around. A scream of pure horror escaped my ips but I didn't hear the sound. I was paralyzed with fear as I saw what stood in front of us. A body lay slumped on the foor, serval other sutdend ran away and a teacher came racing us the steps. I shut my eyes still screaming. This had to be a nightmare. But it wasn't, it was all too real."-last chapter  
  
*********************************************************************** CHAPTER 13:SWITCHING SIDES ***********************************************************************  
  
I found James's hand and clutched it in mine as every part of my body turned to ice. It stood in front of us, a six foot tall creature.  
  
"Dementor" was the only word that passed through James's lips as he stared at that creature, with hate and horror in his bright hazel ice.  
  
"RUN YOU IDIOTS!" Someone yelled, I think it Sirius, but I couldn't tell beacause the world arund me was dizolving into somewhere else. I wasn't sure where I was but, I began to shake and scream and in the back of my head I heard voices. And then, it was over. I fell backwards onto the floor, still shaking a bit, but my head cleared. I blinked several times before my vision was straight agian. The dementor, as James called it, glided out of the hall into the grounds and screams from the people hurrying back to the castle filled the school.  
  
"He has had his soul taken from him." Professor flitwick said, his voice so shaky and quiet, as tears rolled down his cheeks. A body, limp and almost lifeless was carried away.  
  
"Everyone else all right?" Asked professr Sinistra, of the astronomy department.  
  
"I think so." Sirius said and James extended his hand to help me up.  
  
"Go to your dorms, now." Professor Sinistra seemed in shock.  
  
"Lets go." James half carried me up the Gryffindor common room. The common room, usually bright an cheery, was somber. The fire illuminated sad, pale, anxious faces. An hour seemed and enterinty and the the day passed in unbearable slow motion.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"DEMENTORS SWITCH SIDES AND LEAVE AZKABAN!!!! The nototirous gaurds of our Wizard prison, have escaped. Attacking Hogwarts school, the villages of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, and muggle streets. A total of 50 dementors were on the loose and only 13 have been accounted for. 66 wizards have lost their souls in just one day and the wizarding community is in shambles. The cause of the Dementors leaving their guarding position at Azkaban has been confirmed. The Dementors are joining He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Most of the prisonars of Azkaban have fled their cells, and none of them have been recaptured. The few remaining convicts are guarded by trolls, and highly trained wizards. An eye witness to the desctuction that the Halloween Dementor release at Diagon Alley has agreed to speak with us. Daily prophet:What is your name and age, miss?"  
  
Eye Witness:Star Winfield. I am 22 years old.  
  
DP:Where were you when you saw the dementors?  
  
Star Winfield: I was just coming out of Florish and Blotts with my fiancee.  
  
DP:How many Dementors were there?  
  
SW:OH, its hard to say, but I'd guess over 20.  
  
DP:Tell us what happened.  
  
SW:I felt cold, my fiancee (Who wishes to remain anonymous) started screaming bloody murder and fainted. I felt alone suddenly, alone in the midst of a crowd of other by-standers. The world began to swirl and my thoughts were clouded. I saw the Dementor life a women up and pull down his hood, what was under the hood I couldn't see, everything was so blurry but the women screamed and screamed, until suddenly she stopped. Another dementor lifted another witch and another and another until I saw one coming towards me. I lifted by wand and used the patronus charm and I watched amazed as I could see the demeotr running away from my silver unicorn. The other dementors didn't flee, my charm wasn;t enoiugh, but by that time other people were using there charms to until all the dementors left. I then fainted and I wokje in St. Mungos.  
  
DP:You and your fiancess were all right, yes?  
  
SW:Yes, we were some of thre lucky ones.  
  
DP:What effect do you believe this will have on wizards everywhere?  
  
SW:I don't want to think about it.  
  
Well there you have it, the Diagon Alley Halloween masacer, it wont soon be forgotten. Story continued on pages 6, 17-25 and page 32. An interview with Albus Duimbledoor, a tribute to those souls lost, an interview with a Hogsmeade wizard, the history of Dementors and Azkaban, A warning to all wizards: Patronus charms and escaped criminals, and Bemneath the hood of Dementors." Lo threw the paper away from her, as though it were on fire after reading the first page of the artical outloud ther next morning.  
  
"We are all screwed, as good as dead, OR WORSE!" Lo shouted angrily. Bellatrix and Snape snickered at the Slytherin table.  
  
"I hope the dementors suck out Snape's and Bella's soul. Oh wait, thats right, they never had one to began with." Sirius spat.  
  
"Calm down, Sirius." James said putting a conmforting arm on his best friend's shoulder.  
  
"I wonder how many students lost their souls?" I asked no one in particular as an umcormfotable wave of numbess swept through me.  
  
"I think about 9 or 10." Remus answered gloomily.  
  
"And what is with this 'He-who-mus-not-be-named' shit? Call him Voldie- kins!" Lo said, not eating, but sulking in her chair, her eyes reduced to angry slits.  
  
"Lo, just relax." Remus said gently.  
  
"I just can;t believe this!" She exclaimed resentfully.  
  
"Its so horrible." Haven agreed, looking paler than usual.  
  
"So Haven Hart, does have a heart after all?" Sirius said making himself smile a bit.  
  
"I have a heart, when I want to." She said managing a weak smile too.  
  
"I cant wait til I meet Voldie. I'm gonna kick some butt." Lo said a little less hatred etched in her words than before.  
  
"I betcha this summer we get to learn the Patronus charm." James grinned while messing up his hair.  
  
"That will be cool." I admitted.  
  
"Oy! Come on you guys, lets go visit Hagrid! It's Sunday so we don't have class and he would be glad to see us." Sirius said jumping up, as we all left the table, none of us (Save, Peter and Lark) had touched their breakfast. Rain fell down in great drops pounding the ground as we ran across the soaking grass to Hagrid's hut.  
  
"How yer doing?" He asked ushering us into his hut and out of the rain.  
  
"None of yers are hurt, are ya?" he asked as we all sat around his huge table.  
  
"No, we're all okay Hagrid." Sirius assured him.  
  
"I'll put on some tea. Yer all soaked!"  
  
"Thanks Hagrid." I grinned, shivering a bit.  
  
"Did we tell you about Bernadette yet?" Lo asked suddenly.  
  
"Naw, yer didn' I was wonderin' why she wasn' with yers all. Is she sick?" Hagrid asked while turning on the stove for the tea.  
  
"I wish she was sick!" Lo shouted bitterly.  
  
"Now, now Lo, ya don' wanna be wishin' sickness on anyone. Now, what'd she do to yous?" He said sitting down at the table.  
  
"Guess who her new best friend is?" Remus asked sadly.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Bellatrix Black." James said kicking the floor.  
  
"Naw! Yer jokin' O' course!" he said incredously.  
  
"Nope, not joking. It's true." I said miserably.  
  
"She wont even talk with us anymore." Lark sniffed.  
  
"She turned into a complete cow! Not that she was that great a person to began with.." Haven grumbeled. Lo kicked Haven under the table.  
  
"She was a brillant person, Until now." Lo said scowling at Haven who simply shrugged.  
  
"I never woulda' believed it." Hagrid shook his head while pouring as all tea.  
  
"How about them dementors Hagrid?" Sirius asked to change the subject.  
  
"Bloody awful! 9 students lost themseleves there souls!" He accidently poured to much tea in Peter's cup.  
  
"I hate Volde-" James began but, was quickly cut off.  
  
"Don' say his name!" Hagrid shouted anxiously.  
  
"VOLDEMORT! I'M NOT AFRIAD!" James yelled.  
  
"Shhhh!" Hagrid warned his eyes looking around the room and his hands shaking.  
  
"Voldemort is a name, nothing more! It shouldn't scare you!" I said patting Hargid'smassive shoulder.  
  
"Yer righ' O' course, but I can' help it." Hagrid frowned. The remainder of the visit was spent talking about Christmas and cheerful conversations about dragons, before the sun hovered low in the sky and we hd to return to school. The grass was still dasmp, though the rain had stopped, as we stepped outside Hagrid's hut and said our good-byes.  
  
"Volde-I can't say his name." Peter said suddenly, small tears welled up in his watery eyes.  
  
"It's all right Peter, you just need a bit more courage. You'll be able to say it, after a little while. Sirius and I will help ya." James grinned throwing his arm around Peter's chubby shoulders. Peter looked at James with admiration glowing in his face.  
  
"Thanks." Peter said almost breathlessly.  
  
"No problem buddy." James smiled.  
  
"Come on! Walk faster its almost dinner time ande I'm starved." Sirius whined.  
  
"Yeah, yeah we're coming." James said rolling his eyes.  
  
The great hall was silent as we entered it. Dumbledorr stood infront of everyone looking grave.  
  
"Whats going on?" Sirius whispered as we sat down at the Gryffindor table.  
  
"No idea." Lo said looking aroud the great hall for aclue as to why the food was not yet served and no one was talking. Another group of kids entered laughing, which stopped abruptly as then enetered the silent room. They walkd hurridly to the Ravenclaw table and Dumbledorr took a step foward.  
  
"As you all know nine students were taken from us all in one day. I would like you all to remember their names. From the Hufflepuff house we have lost Victoriah Lanley and Micheal Gross. From Slytherin we lost Jamie Barlydoore. In Ravenclaw the lives of Kevin McNalley, Tammie LaRoach and Fernado Espada. And the Gryffindor students we have lost are Tyler Jordan- " At this name Tyler's brother, Lyle, burst into tears, and the sobbing from the other house's students became audible.  
  
"Malika Wood."  
  
"That's Justin's sister!" Haven whispered urgently.  
  
"And David Cabinot. We will always remember these people." Dumbledoor looked downwards and two silvery tears fell from his eyes splashing onto the floor. The only sounds that filled the hall were sobs and moans from those students who lost a friend or a loved one.  
  
"And so we have enforced new security procedures. Be alert, aware, and careful. I hope you will all help eachother insuch difficult times. Be strong, and remember these people as you knew them, they will never die as long as they live in your hearts. Enjoy you dinner. Tonight will be a feast to celebrate the lives of these wonderful people and to mourn there untimly demie." Food appeared on the plates, but suddenly I wasn't hungrey. Sirius, Lark, Haven, James and Peter all dug in. Lo, Remus and I sat still.  
  
"Eat!" Sirius urged us helping himself to everything he could reach.  
  
"It's hard to eat knowing that those people will never eat agian." I said softly.  
  
"Lily, just because people are no longer with us does NOT mean you should starve yourself." James reasoned. Lo got herself a peice of bread to nibble on. Remus and I didn't move.  
  
"Come on you guys! Lo eat more than a peice of bread! Lily and Remus, you two dieing from lack of food WONT bring anyone their souls back." Sirius said trying to sound patient.  
  
"True." I admitted getting some food, as did Lo and Remus.  
  
"It just isn't fair!" I said suddenly surprising myself.  
  
"We know its not fair Lily." James said soothingly.  
  
"I know." I sighed. I saw Bernadette at the Slytherin table, smiling and laughing. I hated her more than almost anyone else in the world. The ring she gave me was still on my finger, out of habit. I ripped of the ring and threw it on the floor. Bernadette saw me and I swore I saw her condescending smile flicker before turing back to Bellatrix. This was the saddest feast ever. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Lily, Lo, Haven, Lark come on!" James pleaded the next weekend during breakfast.  
  
"I just don't feel like it." I protested.  
  
"You have been too damn depressed ever since last week! Move on! Get some fresh air! Smell the roses, lovey!" James said taking my hands in his and waltzing with me. I laughed in spite of myself.  
  
"All right." I agreed.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, we will come to your stupid quiddich match." Lo winked at me as James started to tango.  
  
"Mr. Potter, you have get down to the feild, you can dance with Ms. Evans after you win the match for Gryffindor." Professor McGonagall said smiling.  
  
"See you guys at the match!" James said to us.  
  
"We're not guys!" Lo called back to him as he left the great hall. Lark and Haven looked at Lo oddly.  
  
"What? We aren't 'guys." Lo said rolling her eyes.  
  
"All righty, come on then we shoiudkl get down to the feidl to if we want good seats." Sirius said.  
  
"I wish Remus could see it." Lo complained.  
  
"Remus has...er...other things to do...Its the full moon tonight, as you know." Sirius reminded her leading us out into the cool November air.  
  
"I hope we kick Slytherin ass, just to see the look on Bellatrix and her little buddie's faces." Lo said suddenly.  
  
"Yeah, that would teach Ol' Snivelly and Bella a lesson or two, huh?" Sirius agreed.  
  
"It would show stupid Bernadette too." Haven added.  
  
"You said it." Lo nodded. "I never thougth I'd hate anymroe more than Bellatrix, until Bernadette became a traitor...Bernadette is a bit like the Dementors, she switched sides." I sighed.  
  
"Nah, Bella is worse." Sirius said quickly.  
  
"Why do you say that?" Lo interject sharply.  
  
"Because, she is just more messed up than you know." He changed the subject to the weather as the game began.  
  
"And Laidly Oakes shots a bludger towards Charles Flint who dodges it just in time. Dammit!" Lyle Jordan the announcer shouted, while Professor McGonagall warned him to watch his laungage The game lasted for nearly three hours until-  
  
"AHAHAHA POTTER HAS SEEN THE SNITCH! GO JAMES, YOU CAN DO IT! AND YESSSSSSSSSS! OH YEAH IN YOUR FACE SLYTHERINS! POTTER GETS THE SNITCH! HELL YEAH!!"  
  
"LYLE!" McGonagall warned, but was grinning broadly all the same. James took a bow, ruffling his already windswept hair.  
  
"Yay!" I squealed hugging Haven, remebering hwo I usedto hug Bernadette after Gryffindor would win a game.  
  
"heheh." Sirius beamed at James as he smiled back and went into the locker room.  
  
"See you guys? Isn't it nice to be happy agian?" Sirius twirled and skipped back and forth.  
  
"Your insane." Lo said snorting.  
  
"Ya, but I;m dead sexy too, so the insane part can be over looked." he did a cartwheel. Peter, already flushed with happiness from James's victory was beside himself with glee at Sirius's random dancing and gymnastics.  
  
"Jeez Peter, calm down before you hurt youself." Sirius joked as James ran up to them after exiting the locker room.  
  
"You won Prongs!" Peter exclaimed.  
  
"Yes indeedy, aren't you the smart one Peter?" James laughed and began to dance in a circle with Sirius.  
  
"Your both insane." I said tryng nto to smile.  
  
"And we're both sexy. You lnow you want us Evans." Sirius teased.  
  
"Ya, we are irresistable." James added.  
  
"What mirror are you looking in?" Lo snickered. James laughed and stopped dancing with Sirius.  
  
"Come on, lets go inside, I have homework from Monday I haven't touched." James looked a little guilty.  
  
"Ya, come on ladies." Sirius motionted for us to follow them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I entered the great hall for dinner the next night, and sat down admist the usual chatter and people, buty the plates were empty.  
  
"Why aren't we eating?" I asked Lo.  
  
"I dunno, I was wondering the same thing." She frowned. James rubbed his stomache and grumbeled about "Needing Nourishment" as he rumpeled his already unruly black hair. Dumbledor then rose from the staff table, his long graying auborn beard aqnd hair swishing around him as he stood in front of all of us. Silence filled the room as he cleared his throat and began to speak.  
  
"My wonderful students, young witches and wizards I have yet, another announcement for you all. Now that we approach the third week fo November, I feel It is time you shoudl began to prepare yourselves. I daresay, you wont find this bit of news nearly as horrible as the last announcement, btu you never know prepahes some of you may not be too thrilled. I, myself, am happy to inform you that-" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *********************************************************************** AN: haha you don't get to know what the annoucement is til next update. I like giving you all something to think about after the chapter, it will hopefully keep you hooked. Im sooo sorry I;m late, I'm horrible I know :( like the chappy tho?  
  
NEXT UPDATE DATE:October 18th  
  
Okay, so I am giving myself 18 days to do the next chapter, I know thats a whilo but do you have any idea the ammount of homework I have been getting? heh school can be a v. big pain in the- anyways, I PROMISE that the next chappy will be longer, I know this one is kinda short but, thats because there isn't really anywhere else I could leave off. The next events go together in one chapter, so I couldn't add anything else here. Well, I guess thats all I need to say for now except to remind you all to PLEASE REVIEW. Reviews make me happy. When I'm happy I write better, quicker and longer chapters. Reviews are the best and only medicine fr writers block. Reviews prove to me that my story is being read. so REVIEW. lol Im addicted to reviews ^_~ I love you guys!! Keep reading and reviewing!!!xoxo-Aprilsummer. 


	14. Never agian, no

CHAPTER 14:Never agian, no, never agian.  
  
IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!! words in ***Are lyrics taken from the song "Ur a god" by Vertical Horizon"***  
  
"My wonderful students, young witches and wizards I have yet, another announcement for you all. Now that we approach the third week fo November, I feel It is time you shoudl began to prepare yourselves. I daresay, you wont find this bit of news nearly as horrible as the last announcement, btu you never know perhapes some of you may not be too thrilled. I, myself, am happy to inform you that-"---LAST CHAPTER ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "-This year we will be conducting a Yule Ball on Christmas night. The Yule Ball, is usually associated with the Triwizard tournament, however this year, under the less than admirable circumstances of the wizarding world, we feel that is is crucial that students from all houses, backgrounds, and belief systems can join together and enjoy this night. Everyone house and year is invited. Prehapes you will come out of it all the richer with a new sense of open mindness, and even if you don't it will give you all a chance to show off the dress robes you were required to buy this year and find a nice dance partner. Now, lets eat!"  
  
A chatter broke out imediatly in the great hall.  
  
"This is awesome!" Haven giggled tossing back a sheath of curly, golden blonde hair.  
  
"Its okay." I said thinking of my pretty red dress robes.  
  
"Wanna be my date Lily?" James asked grinning, and ruffling his hair with one hand.  
  
"Um, lets discuss is when its less than a month away." I said awkwardly.  
  
"Oh, well, Okay." James shrugged, but looked a little disppointed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I just don't know who to go with! I mean, TONS of boys have asked me and I just don't know who to say yes to!" Haven sighed two weeks later in Divination class.  
  
"Jeez Haven, go with your mirror, you spend more time with it, then anyone else." Lo sneers.  
  
"Haha." Haven grumbles sarcastically.  
  
"And I think you like your mirror more than any guy." Lo added thougthfully.  
  
"Yeah, well if you looked like me, you'd spend a lot of time with your mirror too!" Haven shot at Lo, defensivly.  
  
"If I looked like you, I'd spend a lot of time with a paper bag over my head." Lo grinned. Even Lark laughed, while Haven blushed and relocted her self to another table with Lark following after her, trying to surpress undenailble laughter.  
  
"Good one, Lo." I smiled. Haven truley was beautiful, but a little blow to her inflated ego, wouldn't do any harm.  
  
"Ya, aren't I clever?" Lo smiled.  
  
"I think so." Remus threw his arms aroud Lo's stomach and sat next to her.  
  
"God people, can't we cut the PDA's?" Sirius complained as he and james plopped down next to me.  
  
"Get over it Black." Lo snaps kissing Remus on the cheek. Sirius dealt out one of the tarot cards we were supposed to be reading.  
  
"I can see something!" Sirius yells suddenly jumping up.  
  
"What is it Padfoot?" James asked grinning.  
  
"Remus and Lo are gonna go to the Yule Ball together...who would have known?" Sirius said dramatically.  
  
"I wonder what gave him that impression?" I asked James sarcasticaslly as Lo cuddles closer to Remus.  
  
"Hmmm... I haven't got a clue." James replied softly so only I could hear. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "My dress robes are pink!" Haven said later that night in the girls dorm. She held a long light pink dress robe in front of her.  
  
"Mine are Purple!" Lark grinned taking out her purple robes that looked simlar to Haven's.  
  
"Black. Mine are Black." Lo said taking out sleeveless black dress robes.  
  
"Dark red." I pulled out my robes that were so dark red they almost looked purple.  
  
"They're very pretty Lily, just like you. Aww, aren't you bloody perfect?" Bernadette grinned suddenly, her normally soft feautres distorted into a snide smile, that didn't suit her at all.  
  
"What do you want Shadow?" Lo asked rasing her eyebrows. Bernadette kept smiling, before taking her wand.  
  
"Crucio." She hissed and the common room was filled with Lo's screams. Bernadette raised her wand seconds later.  
  
"Go ahead Ping, have me arrested." Bernadette sat down on the bed looking eager.  
  
"I'D RATHER KILL YOU!" She jumped up, on unsteady feet, as Haven and I held her back.  
  
"I'd love to see you try." Bernadette stood and faced us her eyes narrowed with contempt.  
  
"The dark lord will kill you all." She huffed leaving the room abrputly.  
  
"I hate her." Lo said her face red and blotchy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A month later the December winds blew harshly across the now snowey Hogwarts grounds. Three weeks until the Yule Ball, and until Christmas. Hatred still burned inside of me for Bernadette, though I wasted no time trying to talk to her. Haven, Lark and me still hadn't decided on a date for winter ball. As I walked to breakfast I still had no idea how I felt about James. I only knew I couldn't stop thinking about him. Every conversation I'd try and have, his face wouold pop up. I resented him, as I much as I liked him. I was going crazy. I sat down next to Lo at the Gryffindor table, the enchanted ceiling was swiriling gray as a light snow fell.  
  
"Hey Lily." Lo said brightly as she munched on her porridge.  
  
"Lily, I was wondering if you made up your mind about going with me to the Yule Ball?" James said suddenly.  
  
"I don't really know exactly..." I said uncomfortably.  
  
"Just say 'yes' and be done with it Lily. Honestly you can be such a pain in my arse." Lo snorted.  
  
"Uh, Haven, do you wanna go with me?" Sirius asked casually eyeing her shiney hiar and full lips.  
  
"Sure, I'd love to!" Haven grinned.  
  
"Lark, would you like to be my date?" Peter asked fumbeling with the table cloth and not meeting Lark's face at all.  
  
"I'd be honored!" Lark blushed and I was secretly grateful for Sirius and Peter for shifting the attention away from me and James.  
  
"Ugh, you people make me sick sometimes." Lo said  
  
"Why?" Haven asked annoyed.  
  
"Your just so cute! All paired up, our whole group, its like adorable!" Lo said in a mock breathy voice.  
  
"Your not the only one who is allowed to have a date." Haven said glaring at Lo.  
  
"I realize that, Hart, but seriously I feel like we should all get married and star in a muggle sitcom, its diusgusting." Lo snapped.  
  
"Lo, Calm down." I said comfortingly  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Lo rolled her eyes.  
  
"Get over it Ping, what is it your time of the month or soemthing?" Sirius asked rolling his eyes back at her.  
  
"Fuck you, Black." Lo jumped up and left the great hall.  
  
"I'll go talk to her." Remus said chasing after his girlfriend.  
  
"You were a little to harsh with her Sirius." I said agitated.  
  
"She was being a complete bitch!" He retorted.  
  
"You weren't helping!" I shot back.  
  
"All of you shut up. Jeez." James said frowning. He wasn't in the greatest mood either, as Gryffindor had only beaten Slytherin by 40 points in Quiddich the previous weekend.  
  
"Fine." I tossed my hair over my should and went to find Lo and Remus.  
  
"Lo?" I called when I got into the hallway. All I heard was silence.  
  
"Lo?" I yelled agian as I walked down the corrider, the faces in the painting s gave me reproving looks as I shouted for my friend.  
  
"Lily!" Remus ran up to me, his face pale.  
  
"Whats wrong? Where's Lo?" I asked startled by the look on his face.  
  
"Follow me!" He grabbed my hand and dragged me down another corrider.  
  
"Lo, whats wrong?" I asked softly seeing my best friend curled up in a heap sobbing. She looked up at me through bloodshot eyes, her face soaked with fresh tears. Her dark eyes looked like glass as more tears fell from them.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked agian feeling a chill creep up my spine.  
  
"Callisto.." She began, then shook her head.  
  
"What about her?" I asked stroking Lo's hair in an effort to clam her down.  
  
"Is she hurt?" Remus asked.  
  
"I wish." Lo hissed  
  
"Is she-" But I couldn't bring myself to ask the question "Is she like Bernadette" I didn't want to know the answer.  
  
"She is with THEM! The god damned Slytherins!" She said whipping tears from her eyes furiously.  
  
"Its okay honey!" I tried to hug her, she tried to push me away. I stepped away feeling hurt, until she stood up and threw her arms around me.  
  
"Lo, she will come around." Remus assured her.  
  
"Oh really?" Lo asked breaking away from me, immeasureable anger etched on her face.  
  
"If she has plans on 'Coming around' I don't give a damn! She is sick! Twisted! Her and Bernadette and Bellatrix are best friends now! She is dating Snape, she makes me bloody sick and I hope I never hear from her agian. I LOVED HER! I fucking loved her." Lo sunk back into me, as her voice died and gave way to more sobbing. I need to pay more attention to my friends whenever they start acting differnt. I couldn't believe I had let this go unnoticed...just like when Bernadette's brother died. I began to cry too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Christmas eve wasn't as happy an occasion as it had been in the past. My head swam with memories of last year's Christmas. When Lo's sister didn't even go to Hogwarts, when Bernadette was still my best friend. When no one was fighting and I wasn't forced to make a decision about James when I didn;t trust anyone. I had made a decision to go dateless to the yule ball. No one ever died from going stag. James, and the seventh year Ravenclaw who had asked me, would get over it.  
  
The common room was adorned with boughs of Holly and small patches of mistle toat lined the ceiling. Lo and Remus has choosen seats under mistle toe and were spending the night playing exploding snape and kissing each other. Sirius seemed almost embarrsed to eb around Haven and he and James (Who was also going dateless) sat in the corner throwing things at first years. Lark and Peter sat on opposite sides of the room too, but kept glancing at each other and giggiling.  
  
I had gifts for everyone in the care of one of the school's Owls, who wouold deliever their preseants once they were asleep. I sipped my hot coco, which was provided for all the inhabitants of the common room that night. James and Sirius began to sing alterd versions of Christamas carols, where the lyrics involved insulting Slytherins. Exhasuated of all the festive cheer, I drank the last of my hot chocolate and retreated to the dorm, falling alseep at once. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~""Time to wake up Lily!" Lo grinned throwing balled up wrapping paper at me. I threw the covers over my head and smield widley at the pile of presants resting at the foot of my bed.  
  
"I unwrapped yours first." Lo grinned agian holding up the diary I had gotten her. It was black, with the gryffindor crest embedded on it.  
  
"Like it?" I asked.  
  
"Of course." Lo hugged me breifly and then opened her next parcel. I opened Lo's gift first and found a golden chain with "Lily" written on a charm that dangeled from it. "Lily" Cganged from red to blue to green to purple every half a minute. Next I opened a box of Bernie Bott's every flavor beans and Chocolate frogs from Lark. Haven got me a Book entitled "The Big Book of Witches and Wizards Fairy Tales"  
  
"You guys are the best." I said to my three best friends. Sirius got me a bracelette that had "Lily Loves James" engraved on it. I laugehd and rolled my eyes beofre putting the bracelette in my trunk. My parents had sent me more muggle clothes and fresh parchment and quills. Two more gifts lay on my floor as I picked up the first one and it was from, unsurprisingly, James. I was fully expecting a snitch, and got ready to grab it as I unwrapped the box.  
  
Instead of a snitch their was a small note and a draw string velvet bag which wouldn't stop moving. "Dear Lily,  
  
I know you probabley were expecting a snitch, but I thought I would be more imaginative. There are two things in the velvet bag. One is a snitch...I couldn't resist. The way I have such a hard time catching it, the way I care about it more than the damn thing knows, and its undescribable beauty and grace, reminds me of you. I also bought you Faerie dust. Sprinkle it around.  
  
Yours forever if you want me, James"  
  
I opened the bag a little and sure enough the snitch propelled itself out covered in a fine layer of light green, silver, sky blue and light pink dust that flew off the snitch, turned gold and hoverd in the air sparkling like a jewel before it slowly drifted to the gound,.  
  
"Wow, he REALLY likes you." Lo said smiling. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I had forgotton to open the second presant, as Lo, Lark and Haven hustled me out of the dorm for breakfast. James stood at the bottom of the stairs his hazel eyes lighting up when he saw me.  
  
"Hey Lily." He grinned and offered me his arm.  
  
"We're just going to breakfast James, I don't need and escort" I grinned.  
  
"Aw Lilz, don'tcha see? Jimmy here, wants to be your escort." Sirius teased.  
  
"Don't ever call me Lilz." I shuddered.  
  
"And I'll wring your lovle neck padfoot ol' bud, if you EVER call me 'Jimmy' agian." James smiled.  
  
"Allrighty Jamsie Kins, no need to get your broomsticks in a knot, I was just joking with ya." Sirius said and slid down the railiing of the stair case as we entered the greathall for breakfast.  
  
"So are we going to the ball tonight as dates?" James asked trying to malke his voice sound un concerned with my reply.  
  
"Um, actaully I thought I'd just go stag. You know.... alone. It would be better for me." I said turing away from him to pour myself pumpkin juice.  
  
***I've got to be honest, I think you know.***  
  
"Oh, well uh....thats cool then. I don't mind, we can still hang out." He said with a very forced smile.  
  
***We're covered in lies and that's okay.***  
  
"Great I knew you'd understand." I smiled gobbling down the rest of my breakfast and retreating to the common room. The common room had a sense of Christmas cheer that I tried to absorb. I couldn't help feeling as though I had done something wrong.  
  
***There is somewhere beyond this, I know!*** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The ball seemed to be a lot of trouble, I thought as I carefully painted glitter around my eyes. Haven entered the dorm from the bathroom. She looked unbelievable.  
  
"Do you have any veela blood?" Lark asked in awe of her best friend.  
  
"I'm muggle born, so I don't even know what a veela is. Does that answer your question?" Haven said absentmindedly attaching diamoind earings in front of her mirror.  
  
"Well, you look amazing, is what Lark is trying to convey." Lo said sulkily staring at Haven.  
  
"You look great too, Lo!" I said quickly, and it wasn't a lie. She looked gorgeous.  
  
"So do you." Lo said a small note of envey in her voice, which I tried to ignore. I added a coat of light pink lipstick and added some emerald earings to complete my ensemble  
  
"Ready to go downstairs your guys?" Lark asked, not looking even slightly pretty in comparision to the rest of us.  
  
"Ya, lets go." I agreed leading the way into the common room. James stared at me unblimingly his eyes fixed with admiration and annoyance. He left before I culd even get down the staircase.  
  
***I hope I can find the words to say-***  
  
"Shall we go, ma cherie?" Sirius asked Haven grinning at her.  
  
"Of course, my dear." Haven said linking arms with him. Lo and Remus walked out of the protairt hole hand-in-hand and Peter and Lark followed. The walked to the Yule Ball seemed to take an incredably amount of time, being dateless.  
  
"Hey James!" I called to him merrily as we entered the great hall.  
  
"Hi." He said rather stiffly and turned around.  
  
"Wanna dance?" I asked him as a song started up.  
  
"Not really, maybe later." He said sitting down to eat dinner.  
  
***Never again no, no never agian***  
  
"Uh, okay." I said blushing and sat next to Lark and Peter who had chosen to eat dinner before dancing.  
  
"Come on Lily, Dance!" Lo said smiling brightly.  
  
"No, thats okay." I shot a quick glance at James. who was looking determindly away from me.  
  
"James, why wont you dance with me?" I asked feeling hurt as Lo walked back to Remus.  
  
"I'm not good enough to be your date." He said sharply.  
  
*** 'Cause you're a God, and I am not***  
  
"What?" I asked shocked.  
  
"Well, why did you turn me down then?" he demanded.  
  
"I don't know!" I said trying not to shout. ***And I just thought that you would know-***  
  
"Well that's not a very good reason to break someones bloody heart!" He yelled.  
  
***That you're a God, and I am not***  
  
"I never wanted to hurt you James." I said softly.  
  
"Uh-huh I'm sure." He stood up.  
  
"Where are you going?" I asked in almost a whisper.  
  
"None of your buisness." he said back.  
  
***And I just thought I'd let you go.***  
  
"Fine" I said so quietly I knew I was the only one who heard.  
  
"Nice dress robes Lily, very flattering." Lark said trying to sound cheerful.  
  
"Thanks Lark." I tried to look like I was in a good mood.  
  
"So what are you ladies ordering to eat?" Peter asked smacking his lips at the menu.  
  
"Pork chops!" Lark exclaimed and they appeared on her plate.  
  
"I'll have Duck L'orange." I said watching the magnificent dish appear.  
  
"Veal Parmeason!" Petere said excitedly and dug into his food as it rested on his plate. I waited almost ten minutes before James retruend to his seat.  
  
"I was hoping you'd come back soon." I said trying to sound happy.  
  
"Like you care." James said rolling his eyes.  
  
***And I've been unable to put you down.***  
  
"I really never meant to hurt you." I said honestly.  
  
***I'm still learning things, I oought to know by now***  
  
"Just forget it." He said clenching his fists.  
  
"I;m forgiven?" I asked taken aback.  
  
"Whatever." he said shrugging and picking up his menu.  
  
***Its under the table so, I need something more to show somehow.***  
  
"So what are your going to get?" I asked James trying to start a conversation. I was dumbfounded I cared so much about James not being mad at me, after I hadn't gone to the dance with him. I just couldn't loose him, I couldn't...  
  
"Prime rib." He said and smield as it magically apperated to his plate.  
  
"Cool, huh?" I asked casually.  
  
"Oh yes, Brillant." He said with a hint of sarcasm.  
  
***Never agian no, no never agian.***  
  
"Hey!" Lo grinned at us, as she and Remus sat next to me.  
  
"Having fun?" Remus asked us all. James snorted.  
  
"Of course." Lark said dreamily as Peter[put a chubby arm around her bony shoulders.  
  
"Good." Remus said warmly while he and Lark ordered garlic chicken.  
  
"I don't even want to think abotu what your breath is gonna smell like." James teased Remus who winked at James.  
  
"Your brushing your teeth before we kiss." Lo said kissing him breafly on the cheek beofre eating her chicken.  
  
"How do you know we're gonna kiss?" Remus joked.  
  
"I'm a seer." Lo said in a mystical voice.  
  
"Of course you are." Remus said laughing. I waited about 20 minutes before our plates were cleared.  
  
"Wanna dance now, James?" I asked nervously.  
  
"Let me digest my food, and then maybe." he said sipping his pumpkin butter beer.  
  
***'Cause you're a God and I am not, and I just thought that you would know.***  
  
"Oh, well okay I should digest my food too!" I said.  
  
"Yep." James put his head down in his arms looking as though he were trying to sleep. He looked so cute, with his hair almost neater than usual and his glasses askew as he tried to look tired and asleep.  
  
***You're a God and I am not.***  
  
Twently minutes passes James looked asleep still.  
  
***And I just thought-***  
  
A boy from Ravenclaw walked to our table. He was in our year and his name was Cadel Goldstien.  
  
"Wanna dance Lily?" He asked holding out his hand to me. I glanced at James who was still looking asleep.  
  
***And I just thought I'd you go.***  
  
"Yeah, sure." I left the table behind me and a slow song played as I leaned onto Cadel.  
  
"So how has your night been Lily? Who is your date?" He whispered in my ear.  
  
"I decided to go stag. My night has been okay." I was lying about my night being okay.  
  
"I wanted to go stag too. Am I making your night any better?" He smiled.  
  
"Of course." I returned the smile. The song ended as we danced through three more. I looked at James who was looking at me.  
  
"Um Cadel?"  
  
"Yeah Lily?" He asked.  
  
"There is someone else I kinda wanted to dancw with." I said shyly.  
  
"I understand. Thanks for brightening my night." He smiled and walked off.  
  
"James?" I said walking back to where I had been seated.  
  
***I;ve got to be honest, I think you know.***  
  
"I really was asleep earlier if thats what you want to know." He said.  
  
***We're covered in lies, and that's okay.***  
  
"Um, not exactly." I said smiling at his obvious lie. He smiled too and my heartr skipped a beat, I hated feeling so much for the guy I turned down in the first place.  
  
***There's somewhere beyond this, I know***  
  
"Um, do you wanna-"  
  
***But I hope I can find the words to say-***  
  
"Yeah." James said before I even finished my sentence.  
  
"I was being a git before." James held my hand as we danced.  
  
***Never agian no, never agian***  
  
"I know you were." I smiled.  
  
"Can you forgive me?" He asked giving me puppy-dog eyes.  
  
"Of course." I said as we kissed and the rest fot eh night dissolved. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~AN: SORRY IM A TID BIT LATE!!! I really love you guys (My readers). The last few weeks I have had: a Good Charolette concert, Homecoming, time with my friends, tons of school work, and bronchitis (sp?) well, what I'm trying to say is Thanks for all your reviews and being v. faithful readers. NOW REVIEW. I went through all that and still put together a chapter and I NEED YOUR INPUT SO REVIEW!!! I need reviews or I will stop spending so much time for you all.  
  
So, what did you think of the chappy? I gave it a happy ending, just for all my Lily/James ppl. I know all of you wont be happy with Sirius/Haven, but just wait and see if you change your mind, or If I do. Did you guys like encorpreting the song into the story? If you guys liekd it, there is one more chapter I wanna put a song in. so tell me your thoughts by REVIEWING!!!!!  
  
Oh ya and my B-day is sure you guys will want to make your reviews extra special November 18th, I'm this time and in the next update before my B- day.  
  
NEXT UPDATE- November 11th. Stay tuned mes amies, .xoxo-Aprilsummer 


	15. The Almost Silence

CHAPTER 15: THE ALMOST-SILENCE  
  
"Have a holly, jolly Christmas..." I sang, absentmindedly as I worked on my potions essay.  
  
"Lily jeez, can you shut up! Christmas is OVER. We're going back to classes tomorrow and you're still singing those damn carols! You sound like Potter!" Lo grumbled. I flushed.  
  
"Sorry, Scrooge." I said, grinning.  
  
"Scrooge?" She asked.  
  
"From 'A Christmas Carol." I said.  
  
"Please Lily, she isn't muggle born like us." Haven said, rolling her eyes as she stared at the picture of her and Sirius from the ball.  
  
"Its a play." I explained to Lo quickly.  
  
"Oh." Lo nodded and returned to her own work. Haven continued to stare at her and Sirius. Lo noticed and giggled.  
  
"What?" Haven asked defensively.  
  
"Nothing..." Lo smirked.  
  
"What?" She demanded.  
  
"It's just that your so obsessive. You used to stare in the mirror 24/7, now you just look at that stupid picture." Lo said shrugging.  
  
"It is NOT stupid." She said, looking scandalized.  
  
"Whatever you say." Lo said, giggling again.  
  
"Humph." Haven pouted. She shot Lo a dirty look, who Lo was only too happy to return. "Finished!" I exclaimed proudly, putting my assignments away.  
  
"Great. Can I copy?" Lo asked holding out her hand. Bernadette laughed from her bed where she sat doing her own work.  
  
"What is it, Shadow?" Lo asked sharply.  
  
"Shouldn't Gryffindors be noble? Copying isn't noble...." Bernadette sneered.  
  
"You know what else ISN'T noble? Joining up with the same people who want to kill your old best friends, so shut the hell up." Lo hissed.  
  
"Aww you thought I was your best friend? How sweet is that!" Bernadette laughed again.  
  
"Listen, Shadow, you know as well as we do that we were your best friends and only friends so, I advise you be quiet before we all decide to curse you hair off. Your hair, which by the way, that could seriously use conditioner." Haven said calmly and coldly. Glaring at us all, Bernadette threw her materials back in her bag and left the dorm.  
  
"I can fight my own battles, Haven" Lo said, a little annoyed. Her face was still bright red from the confrontation.  
  
"This is a battle for all of us." Haven said somewhat sadly.  
  
"She's right." I patted Lo on the shoulder.  
  
"Gods, I hate her." Lo seethed.  
  
"We all do." Lark comforted, hugging Haven.  
  
"I know something to get our minds off Bernadette and her stupid Slytherin mates!" I said, grinning.  
  
"What?" Lo asked, looking disheartened  
  
"Going to watch the Gryffindor team's quiddich game! It is starting in a half an hour. If we leave now we can get great seats. They are playing Ravenclaw." I said excitedly.  
  
"Oh my god." Lo beamed at me. I smiled back, relived she was in a better mood.  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
"You sound like Potter!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Oh my god." I blushed. I did NOT sound like Potter. I couldn't sound like that arrogant little berk. Although, for an arrogant little berk he had such a cute smile...  
  
"He wants you to go to the match to cheer him on, doesn't he?" Haven asked knowingly.  
  
"Maybe, but that's not the point." I looked away from them all, smirking.  
  
"So, what is the point, Mrs. James Potter?" Lo teased.  
  
"The point is that we should go and support our house in it's quiddich match!" I replied.  
  
"No, the point is that you wanna check out Potter while he is on the broomstick." Lo winked.  
  
"Not true!" I could feel myself blushing still.  
  
"Come on, I can copy your essay later. Let's go check out Potter." Lo lead us down to the quiddich field. I smiled to myself, it was great to have friends who knew me so well.  
  
"Hey! Lo, Lily, Haven, Lark!" Sirius called to us from were he, Remus, and Peter were seated. Lo settled herself on Remus's lap and Haven sat next to Sirius.  
  
"So, Sirius, who do you think is gonna win?" Haven said, batting her long eyelashes.  
  
"Definitely us! You guys have seen Jamsie-kins on a broom, he's brilliant! He is gonna shake the dust of this school and become a professional player, one of these days." Sirius said glowing with pride for his best friend.  
  
"Wow, your SO right!" Haven giggled and snuggled closer to Sirius.  
  
"Wow, she is SO annoying!" Lo whispered to me. I fought to keep my face straight as the game began. It was hardly even a contest as Gryffindor won by 120 more points than Ravenclaw.  
  
"Man, did you see me? I was brilliant! I was bloodily fantastic!" James said as he joined us on the stands where we had been waiting for him to change out of his quiddich robes.  
  
"And you're also amazingly modest." Lo said sarcastically.  
  
"That too!" He grinned so wide he face could have cracked.  
  
"Calm down, buddy, we are all very proud, but you don't need to smile like a loony because of it." Remus said smiling.  
  
"You think I'm a loony?" James sniffed and looked as though he had been seriously offended.  
  
"Nah, Prongs, I KNOW your a loony." Remus smirked.  
  
"Whoa, ol' moony is being awfully smart today, huh prongs?" Sirius asked.  
  
"You are rubbing off on him Padfoot, I think you two should separate for a while." James bickered.  
  
"Shut up Prongs." Sirius yawned. The pale yellow winter sun had sunk behind the mountains as darkness cloaked the castle making the freezing grounds, even colder. I shivered.  
  
"Chilly?" James asked.  
  
"A little." I nodded. He flung his arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him, absorbing his warmth.  
  
"Let's get inside before Lily freezes."  
  
"It would be kinda cool to have a frozen person, though, Prongs... Everyone would want to see her! We could sell tickets!" Sirius said following us reluctantly into Hogwarts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next weekend the entire castle was blanketed by almost two feet of snow, with large flakes still floating to the ground in a lazy fashion. "We have got to go outside today!" Sirius said running down the boys stair case adorned in two hats, mittens, two scarfs, a jacket, and boots.  
  
"What's with all the stuff your wearing?" Lo asked laughing. Sirius shrugged.  
  
"I don't wanna catch a cold. I'm not nearly as handsome with a red, stuffy nose." He grinned. "I think you would still look handsome." Haven said firmly. "Yeah, but not AS handsome and not AS pretty, and we CAN'T let that happen." James joked.  
  
"He knows me too well." Sirius smiled at James.  
  
"Are we going outside, or shall we just stay in the common room all day, discussing Sirius's prettiness?" James asked.  
  
"I say we discuss my prettiness!" Sirius said excitedly.  
  
"How about not." I suggested as we went outside. Lo and me made snow balls while no one else was looking and threw them at James and Remus.  
  
"HEY!" they both shouted together and whipped around to see me and Lo giggling.  
  
"That does it! This is war!" James grabbed a handful of snow and threw it in our direction.  
  
"Violent temper you have there, Jamsie-kins!" I teased.  
  
"Your gonna get it Lily!" he said making another snowball.  
  
"Get what?" I challenged.  
  
"This!" he hit me in the face with a handful of snow.  
  
"Its cold!" Haven shrieked as Lo hit the back of her neck with a snowball.  
  
"No shit, Haven. It IS snow, der." Lo said as we all laughed. I shut my eyes, completely happy for a moment, even with snow dripping from my face. I brushed the snow from my nose and cheeks and tackled James in a snow drift. We pressed the snow down about three feet and lay there, breathless.  
  
"That is what you get for hitting me in the face with a snowball!" I said smirking at him, triumphantly.  
  
"I should hit you in the face with a snowball more often then. I really have no problem with you tackling me." He said pushing a piece of hair away from my face and kissing me.  
  
"Get a room!" Lo called.  
  
"Or at least a more private snow drift! Jeez!" Sirius said chortling. A snow ball hit us and we broke apart from our kiss, laughing.  
  
"Who threw that?" James said getting ready for attack. The rest of the afternoon flew by. Some days are just so perfect it's hard to remember the details. You just remember a feeling. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I left transfiguration on Thursday of the next week after getting an "E" on my human transfiguration essay. James walked behind me, being quitter than usual.  
  
"Hi." I said smiling at him.  
  
"I got a 'P.'" he said glaring at his essay.  
  
"Calm down, its not so bad. It is way better than getting a 'D'." I said while trying to sound understanding.  
  
"What did you get?" he asked.  
  
"An 'E". I replied quickly, not looking at him.  
  
"You don't even understand how it feels to get a 'P', when you worked your arse off for something." James said frustrated.  
  
"Can you re-write it?" I asked.  
  
"Sure I can, but what's the point? I'll just get another 'P', for 'Poor." He said disgruntled.  
  
"I'll help you! I know you can get an 'A', at least." I said encouragingly.  
  
"All right, fine." He shrugged.  
  
"Great! We can start tonight, in the library, its quieter than the common rooms."  
  
"Okay, what time?" he asked.  
  
"Right after dinner." I replied.  
  
"See you then." He said walking off. I looked around for Lo, Haven, or Lark and couldn't see them anywhere in the crowded hallway. I had been so proud of my "E" I forgot to wait for them Like Lo told me "Lily, you're a blonde at heart." when I forgot to put my name on my potions essay before turning it in. I wondered where all my friends had gone without me, feeling slightly hurt and headed back to the common room when I changed my mind and headed to the library. I needed to finish some homework for Potions. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~When I entered the great hall for dinner, I found myself sitting with James. \ "Where is everyone?" I asked confused.  
  
"I don't know, I haven't seen Rem, Sirius, or Pete, all day. I was at Quiddich practice." he said in-between large bites of shepherds pie.  
  
"Have you seen Lo, Haven, or Lark anywhere? I can't find them." I said sulkily.  
  
"I'm sure there around here, somewhere." He said confidently. I looked up at the black, star less ceiling, reflection the night sky and felt dread well up in my stomach. I knew in all likely hood they were just all hanging out somewhere, maybe they were planning someway to get me and James to date. But, maybe, they were somewhere outside the castle... Held prisoner, being tortured. I shuddered, wishing there was a star in the sky to make a wish on.  
  
James and I finished eating and went to the library. It was a quiet night and the library's inhabitants were whispering, or absorbed in their own work, and the almost-silence was unnerving. James and I sat at a table, setting up our quills and parchment. I took out the book I used to give myself background information and turned to the first chapter, highlighting useful segments with my wand.  
  
"This stuff is perfect. I might manage a better grade next time." He smiled.  
  
"Of course you'll manage a better grade." I smiled back.  
  
"Because I'm brilliant?" he whispered.  
  
"No, because I'm helping you." I teased. He brought his lips to mine briefly, our faces illuminated by the candlelight. The shadows outside and in my mind couldn't touch me, for the second our lips connected. We broke apart., my heart racing quickly.  
  
"I think we have just about finished." I said standing up. We had been working for almost two hours.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sleepy. Let's go back to the common room." He agreed. The hallways were almost empty, with the occasional whisper of a painting, or the patter of footsteps, that went by quickly. The almost-silence was, once again, unnerving. I didn't say anything to James, because I couldn't think of what to say, and I felt like I was being watched, I didn't want to make a sound to trigger the watcher. I knew I was being paranoid, but I couldn't help it. It seemed like forever until we reached the portrait of the fat lady and said the password. I entered the common room, and knew at once that something was terribly wrong. There were two people staring vacantly into the fire, no one else was there. The fire crackled, it was the only sound besides my nervous breathing. This time, the almost-silence was driving me mad. I tried to speak, to ask what was wrong, but suddenly I didn't want to know. Bernadette's dead brother flashed briefly before my eyes.  
  
"We have some bad news." Sirius said, looking up from the fire.  
  
"A lot of bad news." Remus corrected. I wondered vaguely where everyone else was  
  
"No shit." James said sarcastically.  
  
"What is it?" I squeaked anxiously. "Well, there are a few things." Remus cleared his throat.  
  
"For one, my parents-" Remus faltered.  
  
"They're dead." Sirius croaked with his face hidden behind his hands.  
  
"And your parents are in St. Mungos. They have been attacked. They are going to be okay, but its pretty serious." Remus gulped, James paled instantly.  
  
"Lo has been attacked. She is in the hospital wing. Its not too serious. She has been there almost all day with Haven and Lark. It was something involving Bellatrix Black." Remus said gently. I felt dizzy. I heard Sirius mumble curse words about his cousin.  
  
"And lastly, Me and Lo broke up." Remus said, a small note of bitterness in his voice. Sirius said something muffled by his hands, which were still covering his face.  
  
"January 16th is the worst day ever. I'm calling it 'Black Thursday'." James said soothingly, patting Remus on the back. His eyes looked troubled, he was undoubtedly thinking of his parents laying a bed at St. Mungo's.  
  
"There was a massacre. So many other people's parents died. People are either going home for a bit or, upstairs in the dorms comforting their friends, or crying, or worrying about who is next. It's hell. This is hell." Remus said before loosing himself to tears. James put his hand on Remus's shoulder. A million incoherent questions burst forth in my mind. The common room was quiet except for soft sobs from Remus, the dying fire, and my constant, maddening, heart-beat. The almost-silence was killing me.  
  
AN: I am a bad, bad, bad author I kept you guys waiting WAAAAY too long. *sniff* I;m sorry... I promise I'll post sooner next time as long as I get reviews (Reviews are the only way I know my readers haven't deserted moi.) So how did this chappy turn out?  
  
okie-dokie, sorry for the wait! REVIEW PLS ^_^ -xoxo-  
  
Aprilsummer, (Your very sorry author!!) 


End file.
